VALPARAISO — A gunman looking for someone he believed owed him money remained holed up inside an Indiana real estate office Friday after releasing hostages who had been held for several hours, police said.
Valparaiso Police Sgt. Michael Grennes said police received a 911 call about 10 a.m. reporting that a man with a gun had entered the Prudential Executive Group Real Estate office. Grennes said there was a "brief exchange of gunfire" when officers arrived, but there were no reports of anyone being shot.
Grennes said there were fewer than 10 people in the building when the incident began and that the last of the two hostages were released unharmed after 3 p.m.
The gunman remained inside the building, where negotiators continued to communicate with him. Asked if he still was a threat now that he was in the building alone, Grennes said, "He's a risk to everyone right now. He's in the building armed."
No hostages reported being shot. Grennes said one person who was struck in the head during the incident was treated and released at a hospital.
Grennes said he did not believe the gunman was an employee of the brokerage.
"I just know the reason for him being there was a dispute over ... somebody in the building, an employee in the building, owed him money. He believed that," Grennes said.
Mack Elliott, an agent at the brokerage, told The Associated Press he was not in the office when the gunman entered, but had spoken to a couple of agents who were working at the time. He believed the incident stemmed from a dispute over a real estate transaction.
