Police responded to a bomb threat at a Chase Bank in Bakersfield, California, on June 2. An unidentified man barricaded himself inside the bank with several community members, and reportedly had a bomb strapped to his body. He also allegedly tied a trip wire to one of the hostage's legs.
Police negotiated the release of two hostages that same day. This June 3, the FBI's Sacramento office said the “situation continues to be active, and we do not have additional or new information to provide at this time," a status that remains unchanged.
There are possibly hundreds of gruesome stories around the world that tell tales of kidnapping and ransom, desperation and diplomacy, or simply haunting testaments of human endurance. Indeed, being held hostage is certainly a harrowing experience, and there are some people who don’t always make it out alive.
But how long have some people been held in captivity? And is there possibly a record of some of the longest hostage situations in history? Well, yes, there is. Click through this gallery to read all about those cases.