Lengthy Jennings County standoff ends with suspect taking his life

JENNINGS COUNTY — A 12-hour standoff with an armed wanted man in rural Jennings County came to an end on Thursday afternoon when the suspect took his life.

Indiana State Police said the incident began shortly after midnight this morning when the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office responded to a rural residence on County Road 550W in western Jennings County, after receiving reports that a wanted man, Cory D. Jenkins, 38, was at the residence.

Jenkins was wanted on multiple felony warrants, state police said.  When the deputies arrived on the scene, Jenkins barricaded himself inside the residence, holding family members inside against their will while in possession of a firearm.  Deputies requested additional assistance from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police.  During the initial incident, Jenkins reportedly fired a gun inside the residence, although nobody was injured.

Troopers and deputies were eventually able to get three family members to safety after they climbed out a window of the home. The fourth person inside the residence with Jenkins was later allowed to leave.

Additional resources, including two Indiana State Police SWAT Teams, the Jennings County SWAT Team, and negotiators responded to the scene.  Over the next 12 hours, negotiators spoke to Jenkins in an attempt to have him leave the residence peacefully. He was observed holding a handgun multiple times during the incident.

The incident came to a conclusion shortly after noon today when Jenkins took his own life, state police said.

Detectives with the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post are conducting a death investigation.

Cory Jenkins’ family has been notified.

County Road 550W and County Road 200S in the area were closed throughout the duration of the incident.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office, Jennings County EMS, Spencer Township Fire Department, and Jennings County Coroner’s Office.