Disgraced Army Vet And Sex Offender Sparked Bakersfield Hostage Crisis By Telling Victims It Was A ‘bad Day To Be At The Bank’

The man who held 10 hostages for 15 hours wrong a California slope building before FBI agents changeable him dormant has been identified arsenic a registered activity offender pinch a convulsive past.

Authorities said 41-year-old Anthony Scott Searles-Harris took 10 group hostage connected nan 2nd level of a Chase Bank building successful Bakersfield, astir 110 miles northbound of Los Angeles, astir 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Searles-Harris served successful nan U.S. Army from 2006 to 2007 but was dishonorably discharged aft going AWOL. He was besides a registered activity offender, and had been charged pinch activity acts pinch a kid nether 14 successful 2014, according to Sid Patel of nan FBI’s Sacramento section office.

He had explosives strapped to his assemblage arsenic he entered nan building and took nan hostages to nan 2nd floor, which contains nan offices of nan Kern County schoolhouse superintendent’s administration.

Half of nan hostages were tied up — and immoderate had explosive devices attached to them. Searles-Harris was changeable dormant by FBI agents early Wednesday greeting pursuing a 15-hour standoff.

Here is everything we cognize astir nan suspect.

Searles-Harris takes 10 group hostage wrong Chase Bank building

Searles-Harris took 10 group hostage wrong nan Bakersfield Chase Bank building astir 1 p.m. Tuesday, prompting a large-scale constabulary consequence that included complete 150 FBI agents, authorities said during a property convention Wednesday.

Police were initially called to nan building connected reports of a explosive threat. Authorities confirmed during nan property convention that Searles-Harris had explosive devices strapped to his body. He would later connect devices to an chartless number of his hostages, constabulary said.

“The fishy advised he had explosives attached to his person, which our unit could spot arsenic well,” Jeremy Blakemore, Bakersfield adjunct constabulary chief, said during nan property conference. “He besides told rule enforcement that further explosives had been attached to immoderate of nan hostages, which we confirmed based connected our observations.”

A witnesser to nan horrifying hostage business said nan fishy entered nan slope and said: “It’s a bad time to beryllium astatine nan bank.”

Freddy Arrendondo began to fearfulness for his life aft witnessing Searles-Harris participate nan bank, he told KGET.

“I was conscionable fearing for my wife, she was outside, my kids, not being capable to ever spot them again. It was a batch correct there. You benignant of consciousness everything flash earlier you,” he said.

Crisis speech teams said pinch nan fishy via telephone and were capable to unafraid nan safe merchandise of 2 hostages connected Tuesday night.

Nearby buildings, including City Hall and nan constabulary headquarters, were evacuated. Several adjacent roads were besides closed from Tuesday day into Wednesday, arsenic authorities worked connected negotiations.

Searles-Harris’ motive successful nan hostage business remains unclear. However, during hostage negotiations, he said pinch constabulary astir materials he wanted to spot relating to his tribunal case, arsenic good arsenic astir nutrient and water, The New York Post reported.

The fishy reportedly told constabulary that he was disappointment pinch “certain elements” of his case, according to nan report.

The lengthy standoff came to a adjacent astir 4:20 a.m. Wednesday, erstwhile FBI unit fatally changeable nan suspect. Bakersfield constabulary were not progressive successful nan shooting, officials said.

All 10 of nan hostages were released and reunited pinch their families connected Wednesday. None were injured, authorities said.

Authorities person not said whether nan explosive devices would person worked, nor person they shared immoderate different accusation astir nan hostages.

Suspect’s lengthy convulsive history and nickname arsenic a registered activity offender

Searles-Harris was nary alien to rule enforcement, Patel, nan FBI official, said during nan property conference.

The 41-year-old had a history of unit and was a registered activity offender, Patel said.

The nickname came aft he was charged pinch activity acts pinch a kid nether 14 successful 2014.

He was convicted of lewd aliases lascivious acts pinch a kid nether 14 and oral copulation pinch a insignificant nether 14 and much than a 10–year property quality betwixt nan offender and nan victim, per nan Post.

Another man allegedly paid Searles-Harris $200 to person 2 girls, ages 13 and 17, execute oral activity connected him, Bakersfield Now reported successful 2014.

Searles-Harris allegedly hosted underage girls astatine parties astatine his Oildale location — providing them pinch intoxicant and narcotics and coercing them into activity acts, according to nan report.

Suspect dishonorably discharged from nan U.S. Army

Searles-Harris besides served successful nan U.S. Army from 2006 to 2007, Patel said.

He was dishonorably discharged aft going AWOL, aliases absent without leave.

Arredondo, who witnessed nan fishy participate nan bank, said he went connected a reside astir his clip successful nan work earlier taking hostages.

“He started conscionable bringing up his marine profession and he was conscionable rambling connected that,” Arredondo said, adding that he past ran retired of nan bank.

Authorities opportunity their investigation into nan hostage business remains ongoing.