BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) A man with a history of violent offenses and a 2014 conviction involving underage girls was shot and killed around 4:30 Wednesday morning after a standoff that included hostages inside a Kern County education office building, according to the FBI.
The FBI identified the man as 41-year-old Anthony Scott Searles-Harris.
“He is no stranger to law enforcement and has a criminal history of using weapons to commit violent offenses,” said Sid Patel, a special agent with the FBI’s Sacramento office.
Patel said Harris “had tied up five of the hostages on the second floor of the Kern County superintendent’s and school office in the Chase Building.”
Anthony Scott Searles-Harris identified as man shot dead after 15 hour stand off (PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX)
The FBI also said Harris served in the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2007.
“However, he was dishonorably discharged for going AWOL. That’s absent without leave,” Patel said.
In 2014, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender.
During a court reading in 2014, he was told, “You are charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child.”
Court documents show Harris hosted drinking and sex parties with underage girls at his home in Oildale.
He reportedly gave the girls alcohol and drugs and coerced them into sex acts.
During the 2014 investigation, authorities said Harris had sex with one of the girls, and another said he exposed himself.
Anthony Scott Searles-Harris identified as man shot dead after 15 hour standoff (PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX, Megan’s Law)
Investigators also found that men would pay Searles-Harris to set up sexual encounters with young girls.
Searles-Harris was released from prison in 2018.
In October 2025, a YouTube video was posted detailing Harris’ frustrations with authorities and the verdict in his case.
Bakersfield police said he expressed similar frustrations during Tuesday’s standoff.
Anthony Scott Searles-Harris identified as man shot dead after 15 hour standoff PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX
“There were specific elements that he was very frustrated. I think some of what he expressed were on some of his social media that he’s released. He had some concerns to how his previous case had been handled,” said Jeremy Blackmore of the Bakersfield Police Department.