Owen County deputy stable after shooting, arrest by SWAT

Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 9:53 AM

By Staff report

At the request of Sheriff Ryan White, detectives from the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post are investigating an incident that occurred around 3:30 p.m. Friday in the 4000 block near Texas Pike, in Spencer.
The Owen County Sheriff’s Department received a request from the Owen County Probation Department for a welfare check on a Wendell L. Hart, 58, after he had missed his scheduled appointment earlier that day.
An Owen County Deputy arrived at the residence of Hart and shots were fired in his direction. The deputy immediately called for assistance, and other officers arrived at the scene. Upon the arrival of other officers, Hart once again fired his weapon in the direction of the arriving officers; an Owen County deputy was then struck by this gun fire. Officers returned fire with Hart, who barricaded himself in his residence.
The Owen County Deputy was immediately transported from the scene and taken to another location where he was then transported via air ambulance to a hospital in Indianapolis for medical treatment. At the time of this release the deputy is in stable condition.
The Indiana State Police SWAT team was then activated along with hostage negotiators. After approximately two hours of negotiations Hart willingly gave himself up and was taken into custody by the Indiana State Police SWAT team. Hart was then provided with immediate medical assistance from EMTs and transported to a hospital in Bloomington from injuries he received during the incident.
At this point there is no further information which can be released. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Owen County Prosecutor's Office for review and formal charges.