Police: Valparaiso gunman dies at hospital - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Police say a gunman who held hostages at an Indiana real estate office before shooting himself has died.

Valparaiso police Sgt. Michael Grennes said the gunman died at a hospital Friday evening.

Police Chief Michael Brickner says the gunman shot himself twice in the head earlier in the day while holed up in the Prudential Executive Group Real Estate office.

Police say the gunman had gone to the office Friday morning looking for someone he thought owed him money. They say he held employees hostage inside the building for several hours before releasing the last two unharmed Friday afternoon.

It started with gunfire exchanged between SWAT team members and the gunman around 11:00 am local time.

Initially there was speculation that the situation was the result of a domestic disturbance, but police now say the gunman came to the office to collect money he believes was owed to him.

Valparaiso Police were called to the business about 40 miles southeast of Chicago after receiving reports of gunshots.  That's when officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect.

One woman suffered a non-life threatening injury to the head, but police say it was not a gunshot wound.

Some employees were allowed to leave shortly after the incident, and two others got out just before 5:00 pm. Police say there were less than ten people in the business when the standoff began, and now report that all hostages have been released.

Sharp shooters surrounded the office buildings, as FBI negotiators arrived and began establishing communication with the gunman. 

Although they know who he is, they did not release that information nor his demands.

"They were still in communication with the individual. Again, FBI negotiators have been brought in to talk to him from a negotiations standpoint. They're working with him, trying to resolve the situation peacefully," said Sgt. Michael Grennes of the Valparaiso Police Department, speaking before the standoff ended.