Ark Valley News - Police shoot man aiming a pouch

During a news conference on July 15, Capt. Brent Allred with the Wichita Police Department describes the actions of the police and the suspect before he was shot in a field near the Moorings neighborhood south of Valley Center July 14.

Police shoot man aiming a pouch
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: July 25, 2019

By Chris Strunk

A 26-year-old man with what police called a history of mental health problems was hospitalized with a gunshot wound July 14 after being shot by a Wichita police officer near 53rd North and Meridian.

The man did not have a gun, Capt. Brent Allred said. However, he reached into the waistband of his shorts, pulled out an object, raised his arms and pointed toward an officer right before he was shot.

"These situations are tragic, and the Wichita Police Department sends its thoughts and prays to the family of those impacted and all of the officers involved in this incident," Allred said.

The officer, who has been with the department for seven months, was placed on paid administrative leave as the investigation continues.

The man's injuries were described as serious, but not life threatening. No charges had been filed as of July 15.

During a news conference in Wichita July 15, Allred described an evening that started with a mom who had reached the end of her options and ended with her son in the hospital.

The man was at the home of his grandparents in the 3100 block of Key West in the Moorings neighborhood south of Valley Center around 4 p.m. July 14. At the home were his grandparents, mother, aunt, nephew and a friend of the nephew.

"The family became uncomfortable with the suspect being at the home because of past domestic violence situations involving him and past mental health crisis situations," Allred said.

The man was not allowed inside the home, but was granted permission to remain in the garage.

To avoid conflict, Allred said, the man's grandfather took the nephew and the nephew's friend to another location.

At 7:30 p.m., the man was asked to leave the property, Allred said.

"He becomes visibly upset, acting erratic and showing signs of being in a mental health crisis," he said. "The suspect also makes statements that he wants to end his life."

At 8:05 p.m., the man's mother called 911 and reported that her son jumped into the lake behind the house. She told dispatchers that there was a no-contact order between the man and his father. She also said the man may have used methamphetamines and could be violent with police officers.

The mother reported that her son had a history of being combative, Allred said.

The call was dispatched as a domestic violence disturbance at the residence. Three officers responded.

At 8:22 p.m., the mother called 911 again to report that her son left the residence and was walking east on Key West toward Meridian.

At 8:26 p.m., two Wichita officers located the suspect near the Key West and Meridian intersection.

Allred said officers identified themselves as they exited the police car and gave the man commands to stop and show his hands.

"The suspect failed to comply and continued walking northbound in the field," Allred said.

The man then began to run away from the officers as they approached him.

Minutes later, the two officers told other officers in the area on the radio that the suspect was going through the field with his hands in his waistband.

About 20 yards north of the initial contact on Key West, Allred said the man had his right hand in his waistband as two other officers approached from the north.

The officers told the man to stop and show his hands.

"The suspect yelled obscenities at the officers and acted erratic while disobeying verbal commands," Allred said. "In the middle of the field, the suspect abruptly stopped, squared his shoulders to an officer in a shooting type stance. The suspect continued to be agitated and was yelling at officers when he made a prolonged grab at his waistband with his right hand and drew an object believed to be a handgun from his waistband. The suspect put his hands out to his sides briefly and he quickly extended both hands toward one officer with the object in his hand."

At 8:30 p.m., an officer fired three rounds. One bullet struck the man's abdomen.

Officers placed the man in custody, administered first aid and called for EMS.

The object in the man's hand turned out to be a pouch — which has two sides that fold in and a top flap that folds down and snaps together — with a metal buckle on the back to clip onto a waistband.

Officers did not locate any drugs on the man. A toxicology report could take several months.

Allred said the disturbance at the residence was only verbal, but the man "has a history of being verbally abusive" and "he started getting that way while he was there."

Allred said police have had previous contact with the man.

"The family tried to get him help," he said. "… We all know that if the individual doesn't want to get help himself, it's hard to solve that problem."

Allred said the family has been cooperative with law enforcement.

"We feel very bad for the family," he said. "They've been trying to get him into treatment, talking to him and doing what they can as a family, but he was basically homeless because they couldn't have him at the house because of the issues there."

While no charges have been filed, Allred said authorities are looking at possible criminal threat or aggravated assault.

Allred said he hopes the man will get help in the near future.

"This situation didn't have to occur," Allred said. "What I mean by that is, if he would've just listened to what we were asking him to do. He didn't have a gun. But he acted like he did when he pointed it at the officer, and the officer didn't have any options. It's a very unfortunate situation. … They tried and tried to get this guy to stop and take his hands out of his pockets."

Allred said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation is helping with the case to "provide accountability and transparency."