BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Police say a man held multiple people hostage in a Bloomington home on Friday before killing himself.
Police were alerted of the hostage situation at around 5:10 p.m. in the 3300 block of North Kingsley Drive near the exit from I-69 onto State Road 45.
Police say a juvenile called 911 for help after they and a sibling escaped from the house. The juvenile told police there was an intoxicated man inside the home who was pointing a gun and threatening to kill them.
Because the man was armed and holding hostages, police called in the Critical Incident Response Team and Crisis Negotiation Team, according to Bloomington Police Captain Ryan Pedigo.
A crisis negotiator spoke with the man over FaceTime for about 40 minutes. During that call, the negotiator saw the man holding a gun and threatening to kill a 76-year-old hostage inside the house as well as officers on the scene.
The negotiator tried to get the man to release the hostage but, Pedigo said, the man refused.
Pedigo said the man continued repeatedly threatening to kill himself and officers. He also refused to leave the home without the gun.
At around 6:30 p.m. the man, only identified by authorities as a 46 year old, shot himself in the kitchen while he was speaking with the negotiator.
After that, the 76-year-old hostage was able to get out of the house and to safety.
Pedigo said everyone involved in this situation knew each other, no one else was injured and this is an ongoing investigation.
