Man Who Barricaded Self In Bloomington Sewers Taken Into Custody: Police

BLOOMINGTON, IN — A man who barricaded himself in the Bloomington sewer system disrupted public life for several hours Tuesday in the city center, according to authorities.

As of about 5 p.m., officers were underground in the sewer and had made contact with the man and taken him into custody, according to police. About 30 minutes later, the man had been removed from a storm drain and set was to be brought to an area hospital for evaluation, police said, adding downtown roads would soon reopen.

"BPD thanks everyone for avoiding the area so officers could safely search for the suspect," police said in a Facebook post.

The public was first notified of the situation not long after noon, when police warned residents to stay away from First to Third streets as well as Morton to Lincon streets while emergency personnel searched the sewers for a man they believed to be armed. Multiple agencies assisted, as did utility providers, police said.

"We are working with Utilities to determine the underground sewer tunnels that a person could fit in," police said in a social media update around 1 p.m.

Shortly before 3 p.m., authorities warned of potential loud bangs and asked residents to continue avoiding the area. As of 3:30 p.m., police said smoke might be visible emerging from sewer drains.

Nearby Indiana University evacuated a building near a storm system exit around 1 p.m. and asked students to steer clear of Dunn Meadow and Indiana Avenue, according to campus police, who said Franklin Hall would remain closed until Wednesday.