Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating after a man drowned Saturday near Milltown.

According to officials, a 911 call was placed just before 6 p.m. saying a victim went missing after he and another member of a paddling group capsized their canoe in the Blue River.

The victim was identified as 48-year-old Albert “Neal” Barger of New Albany.

Search efforts began shortly after but were later suspended after they were unable to locate Barger.

The search resumed Sunday morning using Sonar and officers were able to locate him.

Officials said Barger didn’t have any swimming experience and was not wearing a life jacket.

The search resumed Sunday at 7 a.m. using two types of side scan sonar, which officers say helped them pinpoint Barger’s location. 

Conservation officers strongly urge everyone to wear a life jacket at all times when around water, especially if swimming ability or water conditions are questionable. 

The investigation is ongoing. No other information was immediately available. 

Shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, authorities were dispatched to the Flatrock River at Mill Race Park in Columbus in reference to a missing child. 

Here are some statistics for the day:

All involved agencies searched diligently all Friday, but were ultimately unsuccessful in locating the missing 6 year-old. 

The primary search area has been checked exhaustively with sonar units and divers. 

Due to the water level and the strength of the current, dive and sonar operations are being suspended until the water conditions become more conducive to an underwater search, at which time it will resume. 

Until then, we will continue with our surface search using bank and boat patrols, which will resume tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.

• Search time: > 13 hours (several hundred man-hours)
• Boats on the water: 5, including 3 DNR boats, a Lawrence County hovercraft, and a Bartholomew County airboat;
• Divers in the water: 8, including 4 DNR divers, 2 from ISP, and 2 from Bartholomew County;
• Sonar/R.O.V. units utilized: 2 sonar units, 1 R.O.V. (all DNR)
• Length of search area: the subsurface search focused on the area from the point of entry to approximately 300 yards downstream, utilizing sonar, video, and divers working from the bank and from boats working off of a static line. A search of the surface including both banks covered over a half mile.
• Other search methods:ISP conducted an aerial search utilizing a helicopter. Indiana Department of Homeland Security checked the banks utilizing search dogs.

The search was called off Thursday night due to dark conditions.
Initial investigation revealed the child was playing on a sandbar with family members, when he ventured into deeper water and was swept away. 

Family members attempted to rescue the child, but efforts were unsuccessful.

The Indiana State Police along with numerous police agencies responded to the Travelers Inn motel this morning after a man from one of the rooms fired shots at Fremont Police Officers.

Preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Clint Hetrick revealed at approximately 10:50 a.m., four officers from the Fremont Police Department responded to the hotel which is located on State Road 120, about one-half mile east of I-69, to perform a welfare check on an individual in one of the rooms. 

The officers entered the room and made contact with a man who was sitting in the bathroom.  They partially opened the bathroom door and saw he was armed with a handgun, which he then used to fire on the officers with.  None of them were hit nor injured by the shots.

They immediately exited the room and called for assistance, and once additional officers arrived, a perimeter was established and the other rooms were evacuated.  Local businesses were informed and nearby schools were placed on lockdown. 

State Police Negotiators were summoned and began attempting to establish communication with the man in the motel room, later identified as 36 year old Joshua A. Kelley of Kendallville.  Intermittent telephone communication was established with him over the next six to seven hours.

At approximately 5:00 p.m., tear gas was introduced into the room and at approximately 5:20 p.m., Kelley allegedly fired shots at officers.  Finally, at about 5:45 p.m., Kelley exited the room on his own and surrendered himself to police.  He was taken to Cameron Hospital to be medically cleared for incarceration.  He is currently incarcerated in the Steuben County Jail without bond on the following preliminary charges:

• Manufacturing Methamphetamine
• Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon
• Pointing a Loaded Firearm
• Intimidation
• Three (3) Counts of Criminal Recklessness

Working collaboratively at the scene were the Fremont Police, Steuben County Sheriff, Auburn Police, Orland Police, Angola Police, Ashley Police and Fort Wayne Police Departments; Fremont and Angola Fire Departments, Steuben County EMA, Steuben County EMS and the Steuben County Prosecutor’s Office.