A 15-hour hostage standoff in downtown Bakersfield, California, ended with the death of a man who had taken ten people captive inside a Chase Bank branch. The suspect, 34-year-old Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, triggered the siege and held the hostages through the night before law enforcement officers finally intervened.
With the immediate threat now neutralised, investigators are examining his background in detail. What they are uncovering is a 'deeply complicated history', including a short stint in the military, multiple criminal convictions and ongoing court disputes over family matters.
Searles-Harris served in the military for about a year before his career came to an abrupt end. Reports show that theArmy veteranwas given a dishonourable discharge for going 'absent without leave'.
Adjusting to civilian life was difficult, and he was quickly hit with legal troubles that reshaped his future. These offences ultimately placed him on the state sex offender registry.
In 2014, Searles-Harris was convicted of sexual crimes regarding a child under 14. According to documentation, he allegedly received payment to have two underage girls perform oral sex on him.
Investigators also noted he hosted underage girls at parties in his Oildale residence. During these gatherings, he reportedly provided drugs and alcohol before coercing the minors into sexual acts.
He served time for these offences and was officially released in 2018. His criminal history appears to have shaped the grievances that preceded the bank siege.
While a definitive motive remains unconfirmed, authorities have pointed to a fixation on his record. Police chief Jeremy Blakemore explained that Searles-Harris had 'concerns related to how his previous case had been handled and what the aftermath of that was, the sentencing and those kinds of things.'
The police chief indicated that the suspect demanded materials related to his court case. Kern County records also show he was involved in several concurrent legal disputes.
Searles-Harris had filed a petition to prevent domestic violence and was engaged in divorce proceedings. These ongoing legal matters involved a young child and a guardianship dispute, formally listing him as an objector.
Source: International Business Times UK
