BLOOMINGTON — A wanted man was arrested on Friday after a six hour-long standoff in a Bloomington hotel.
According to Monroe County Sheriff Office, dispatch received a tip regarding Samuel Baumgartner Jr., a man with multiple active warrants believed to be staying in a long-term hotel room at Homewood Suites in Bloomington. Officials confirmed that Baumgartner was wanted for a felony warrant related to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and a warrant for Resisting Law Enforcement.
Deputies arrived at the scene at approximately 12:30 p.m. and announced their presence at Baumgartner's hotel room on the second floor. After initially receiving no response, deputies acquired a search warrant and attempted to enter the room. However, upon opening the door, they discovered Baumgartner standing inside with a firearm, leading them to retreat and call for the Critical Incident Response Team.
In coordination with the Indiana State Police and Bloomington City Police, deputies evacuated guests and hotel staff from the premises. The response team arrived and engaged in strategic discussions with Baumgartner, but he refused to comply with their directives to release his 87-year-old mother and himself.
After a tense six-hour standoff, negotiators successfully evacuated his mother and her small dog at 7:19 p.m. After ongoing attempts to persuade Baumgartner, he was finally apprehended. Baumgartner was taken into custody.
A subsequent search of the hotel room revealed a rifle and two boxes of ammunition. Baumgartner now faces several charges, including:
- Failure to Register as a Sex Offender (Monroe County felony)
- Failure to Appear (Owen County felony)
- Criminal Confinement with a Deadly Weapon (Level 3 felony)
- Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon (Level 4 felony)
- Resisting Law Enforcement using a Deadly Weapon (Level 6 felony)
- Criminal Mischief (Class A misdemeanor)
- Disorderly Conduct (Class B misdemeanor)
