BLOOMINGTON – A six-hour standoff at the Homewood Suites on South Liberty Drive ended with the arrest of Samuel Baumgartner Jr. on Friday, February 7. Baumgartner, 54, was wanted on felony warrants from Monroe and Owen Counties.
The Monroe County Central Dispatch received a tip that Baumgartner, who was wanted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and Resisting Law Enforcement, was staying at the hotel with his 87-year-old mother and a small dog. Sheriff’s deputies confirmed the warrants and located Baumgartner’s room on the second floor.
Deputies arrived at the Homewood Suites around 12:30 p.m. and announced their presence. Though they heard movement, no one answered. After obtaining a search warrant, deputies attempted to enter the room but could not open the door due to the interior latch. A deputy spotted Baumgartner inside, holding a gun. Deputies retreated and called for the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT).
While CIRT was en route, law enforcement from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, and the Bloomington Police Department evacuated the hotel, ensuring the safety of guests and staff.
CIRT negotiators arrived and attempted to communicate with Baumgartner, but he refused to allow his mother to leave or surrender himself. For six hours, negotiators worked to extract the elderly woman. At 7:19 p.m., she and her dog were safely removed from the room. Negotiations with Baumgartner continued, but he remained non-compliant.
CIRT then deployed less-lethal devices, leading to Baumgartner’s arrest at 8:32 p.m. He was uninjured and evaluated by EMS personnel. A search of the hotel room yielded a rifle and two boxes of ammunition.
Those facing criminal charges are presumed innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt.
