6/29/09
Kansas City, Kansas
From the Kansas City Star of June 26, 2009
Clerk kills would-be robber and critically wounds another, police say
A Kansas City, Kan., corner-store clerk fought back when two men tried to rob him tonight, shooting and killing one suspect and critically injuring the other, police said.
Officers were called to the 5th Avenue Convenience Mart at Fifth Street and Quindaro Boulevard shortly before 7 p.m., Officer Mike Golden said.
The clerk told them two men with long guns entered the store and demanded money, Golden said. When one of the suspects fired a shot, the clerk grabbed a handgun from behind the counter and shot both suspects.
One ran halfway up the block before collapsing, dropping a gun in the middle of Quindaro. An ambulance took him to a hospital, but he died before arriving, Golden said.
The second suspect made it slightly farther and went to the hospital in a private vehicle.
The clerk, mildly injured in the scuffle, was checked by paramedics at the scene.
Detectives and crime-scene technicians were on scene investigating the incident — the sixth homicide in five days for Kansas City, Kan.
“It’s been a very busy week,” Golden said. “We don’t have an answer for why.”
Labels: business robbery, KS
2/23/09
Kansas City, Missouri
From the Kansas City Star of February 16, 2009
KC police identify robber shot by store owner
Kansas City police today identified a robbery suspect who died after being shot by a store owner and involved in a car wreck Sunday afternoon.
Christopher L. Kublic, 28, moved to Kansas City from the state of Washington within the past month, police said.
Along with another man, Kublic allegedly tried to hold up a hydroponics store using a stun gun about 5:15 p.m. Sunday in the 3600 block of St. John Avenue, in the city’s Northeast neighborhood. The store owner told police he pulled his own gun and shot the robber.
Shortly after the holdup, a vehicle matching the suspects’ was found overturned about three blocks away.
Kublic was lying next to the wrecked vehicle. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The second suspect remained at-large this afternoon, police said.
Labels: business robbery, KS
1/17/09
Miami County, Kansas
From the Miami County Republic of January 8, 2009
Armed resident defends home against burglars
A home intruder got more than he bargained for Thursday morning at a residence in rural Wellsville.
Miami County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 37895 W. 239th St. after a resident reported hearing a break-in at his home, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
The lone resident hid in the closet on the second floor until he heard the suspect enter the room and open the closet door. The resident then declared he had a firearm, and the suspect fled the house, according to the release.
The suspect is described as a white male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing about 215 pounds. He was wearing a blue jacket, blue jeans and a ski mask.
The armed homeowner watched the suspect flee in a newer blue Chevrolet extended cab S-10 pickup truck, according to the release. Deputies searched the area but could not locate the vehicle.
A short time later, another resident in the area reported suspicious people at her home fitting the same appearance and vehicle description.
According to the release, the homeowner met them at her door and was asked if an unknown person lived there. When she told them “no,” they left.
Sheriff’s officers warn that this type of activity can also be a ploy of residential burglars. They knock on the door, and when nobody answers, they break in. If contacted at the door, they ask for a fictitious person.
Labels: home invasion, KS
11/25/08
Leavenworth, Kansas
From KCTV5 of November 21, 2008
Son Shoots Ex-Stepdad To Protect Her, Mom Says
A teen took aim with a gun, his mother said, but it was the shooting victim who was in trouble with the law Friday night.
The teenager's mother, who was caught in the middle, said her son pulled the trigger and shot her ex-husband to save her.
She agreed to talk anonymously to help other women who may be stuck in a domestic violence situation.
The woman's 16-year-old son shot her ex-husband Friday morning on the front lawn of their Leavenworth home, but she said he did it to protect her.
"He started ranting and raving, and I told him he needed to leave and go home, and he got mad," the woman said.
The woman said her ex-husband had been abusive many times before, so she divorced him two years ago.
But at 2:30 a.m., he suddenly barged into her home. She said he pulled out a knife and dragged her into the front yard, and that was when she said her son grabbed a gun from the house and pulled the trigger, hitting his ex-stepfather in the stomach.
"He's a very quiet kid, and he's not the type to do anything like that, but he had had enough," she said.
Her wounded ex-husband jumped into his truck. Instead of heading to either of the two hospitals in Leavenworth, he drove himself all the way to Kansas City, Kan., to Providence Medical Center, where police said he lied about what happened.
"He indicated that he had been shot somewhere else besides Leavenworth," said Chief Pat Kitchens, of the Leavenworth Police Department.
The mother said she was glad her ex-husband survived so her son wouldn't have to deal with that burden for the rest of his life. And she is focused on helping her son and daughter heal from such a traumatic ordeal.
"My kids have been through a lot, you know? They're going through counseling and that's something that's very highly recommended because when you've got family violence, it's not easy, especially on the kids," she said.
Police said the teen was not arrested. He will likely not face any charges because what he did was in self-defense to protect himself and his mother.
In the meantime, the ex-husband is recovering in the hospital. From there, he will be moved to the jail to face possible charges of burglary, kidnapping and assault.
Labels: domestic abuse, KS, minor defender
10/31/08
Topeka, Kansas
From WIBW of October 29, 2008
Liquor Store Clerk Holds Shoplifter at Gunpoint
A store clerk is earning praise from some in the community for holding a would-be shoplifter at gunpoint until police arrived.
CJ said she became suspicious when two men in their 20's came into the store shortly before 7p.m. Tuesday, and headed straight for a corner of the store and talked about not having much money.
"They realized I was watching them the entire time they were in here," said CJ, who did not want to give her last name. "They went and picked up a half gallon of Kentucky Deluxe."
CJ said the two brought the bottle up to the counter and she rang it up. One of the men took off his shoe, looking for money. "His buddy was standing by him and grabbed the bottle and bolted out the door," CJ said.
CJ said she had another customer in line lock the door. She grabbed the phone and her gun and called police. CJ said the man seemed surprised when she held him at gunpoint. "He looked dumbfounded. I don't think he realized I would be carrying a gun."
CJ said the two men had a vehicle on the west side of the store, which is where the first ran after taking the bottle. She said the man she held inside the store was cooperative with police.
"One got away; I wasn't gonna let the other get away. He went to jail instead."
Officials say CJ did nothing illegal. "The supervisor that worked the scene out there felt that she was justified and within the confines of the law," said Capt. Jerry Stanley, Topeka Police Department.
Stanley said it's important for people with conceal and carry permits like CJ, know when to expose the weapon.
"In this case we're looking at under $20 worth of merchandise and a loaded firearm pointed at a person," said Stanley. "Want to make sure they're properly trained and have proper judgment."
CJ said a gun may not be for everyone, but people with jobs like her's should take precautions to protect themselves. "Take self-defense classes. Go through the training. Go through conceal and carry classes if you choose to carry a gun. Learn how to use it. Learn when to use it," CJ advises. "Just be safe."
CJ received her conceal and carry license in July 2007 and says she carries it with her at all times. "We have to protect what's ours and not let them walk all over the top of us. Next time they might not be so lucky to walk out."
Police and CJ agree the situation had a positive outcome. "This situation definitely worked its way out and came to a positive conclusion," said Capt. Stanley.
"If it happens again, hopefully, it turns out like it did last night and the guy goes to jail instead of going to the morgue," said CJ. "The police officers can't be everywhere at the same time and it's up to the community to help them do their job, and that's putting the bad guys in jail."
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, female, KS
10/21/08
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of October 21, 2008
Homeowner thwarts home robbery attempt
Wichita police are looking for three suspects involved in an attempted residential robbery early Monday morning.
A 54-year-old man said a man kicked open the front door of his house in the 2000 block of South Madison at about 12:40 a.m. Monday and pointed a gun at him and his 21-year-old daughter.
The man told police he grabbed the gun and forced the suspect to the front lawn, where he saw two others.
One of the other suspects fired a shotgun at the victim, and the suspects ran north from the yard. As the suspects drove away from the area, the victim said, one of them fired a handgun at the house.
No injuries were reported.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, KS
8/16/08
Kansas City, Missouri
From KCTV5 of August 15, 2008
Family Fights Back In Home Invasion
A family fought back against a group of armed intruders that broke into a Kansas City, Kan., home early Friday morning, police said.
Police received a 911 call from a house near North 74th Court and Oakland Avenue just after midnight.
A man who lives in the house said when the men burst into the house, his son was able to escape and get help while he and his brother were held at gunpoint.
"These guys had us in there for about 20 minutes. One of them came outside and tried to get in my Escalade. When that guy went outside, my brother, who was here with me, jumped up and grabbed the gun from him. I went downstairs and grabbed my gun, and the shootout was on after that," the man said.
Two of the alleged intruders were wounded in the shooting.
Police took three of the four suspected home invaders into custody.
The homeowner said he thinks these were the same men who broke into his home days earlier. Following that incident, the family decided to get an alarm installed. It was scheduled to be activated on Friday.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, KS, residence robbery
8/3/08
Kansas City, Missouri
From the August 2, 2008 Kansas City Star:
A bank customer shot another man who apparently was attempting to rob him about 9 a.m. today, police said.
The alleged robber, who was wounded in the head, this afternoon is in stable condition, police said.
A man and a woman, described as an older couple, were using the ATM at the Bank of America at North Oak Trafficway and Barry Road, police said, when a man approached with a gun and robbed them.
A couple was stopped at the ATM.
The robber was walking away when the male victim got out of the car with his gun and yelled for him to stop, said Sgt. Chris Lantz of the department’s robbery unit.
The robber turned around and pointed his gun at the man, Lantz said. The robbery victim fired his gun, hitting the robber in the head, he said.
At the scene investigators earlier today investigators were collecting evidence from a dark sedan parked next to the ATM machine. An object that looked like a hand gun was lying on the pavement. Nearby were apparent blood stains.
The couple and witnesses were interviewed by police.
The man had a permit to carry a concealed gun, Lantz said. Under the circumstances, Lantz said, that would not matter, because he could legally carry the weapon in his car.
It is unusual where a robbery victim defends themselves with a fire arm.
“You don’t see that very often,” Lantz said.
Labels: concealed carry permit, KS, street robbery
7/9/08
Basehor, Kansas
From the Basehor Sentinel of July 8, 2008
Basehor resident fends off burglar
An 88-year-old Basehor man was attacked in his home early Monday morning after an intruder broke in through a basement door.
According to Basehor Police Chief Lloyd Martley, around 5:25 a.m., an unknown suspect kicked in the basement door of the homeowner in the 15300 block of Parallel Road. The homeowner, who had a shotgun, confronted the intruder at the top of the stairs. There was a struggle over the gun and the suspect eventually gained control of the weapon hitting the homeowner with the butt of the gun. The suspect was then alerted to police in the driveway of the home, left through a patio door and headed into the woods west of the property empty handed.
The police were already in the driveway by the time the homeowner was able to get to a phone to call 911 because a Basehor police officer on patrol noticed a vehicle parked in the driveway of the residence that wasn’t normally there and had stopped to investigate, Martley said.
The homeowner sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention.
Since it was dark outside and there were no lights on in the house, the homeowner was not able to see the suspect’s face clearly, but is described as a short, heavy set Hispanic male wearing a white shirt and a blue baseball hat.
While several police agencies combed the area, they were unable to locate the suspect, Martley said. Police ask that if anyone sees a person matching the suspect’s description, to call the Basehor Police Department immediately at (913) 724-1313.
Labels: defender's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, KS, senior
6/9/08
Lawrence, Kansas
From the Witchita Eagle of June 9, 2008
Attempted robbery led to Lawrence shooting deaths, police say
Police say an attempted robbery led to Saturday’s double homicide, and a 16-year-old boy arrested in the crime is likely to have his first court appearance today.
Police also identified one of the deceased as Gage Hauk, 18, of nearby McLouth in Jefferson County. Police said Hauk and the 16-year-old suspect attempted to rob the residence just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday when the 20-year-old resident shot Hauk with a shotgun.
The 16-year-old, who has not been identified, then allegedly shot the resident before fleeing on foot, said Lawrence Police Sgt. Paul Fellers. A firearm believed to have been used in the incident was found a block away.
The resident has not yet been identified, Fellers said, pending identification by the coroner.
The two would-be robbers were acquainted with the resident, Fellers said.
The teen was arrested Sunday on suspicion of felony murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and attempted aggravated robbery, Fellers said. He is being held at the county’s juvenile detention center.
Douglas County Deputy District Attorney David Melton said it’s possible the suspect could be charged as an adult. Charges are expected to be filed in a preliminary hearing at 4 p.m. today.
Police responded to the home where the incident occurred after several neighbors reported gunshots. One of the bodies was found inside the residence, in the 1300 block of Delaware Street. The other man was found outside.
Labels: defender killed, KS, minor offender, residence robbery
Kansas City, Kansas
From the Witchita Eagle of June 6, 2008
Bar owner shoots at fleeing suspects
Police are looking for two suspects linked to a clash Thursday night that prompted a bar owner o fire several shots at the men as they fled.
The owner of Stix Bar, 2785 S. Meridian, asked two men to leave the bar shortly before 10 p.m., police said. One of the men reportedly told the owner, "I can do what I want, because I have a gun and you don't."
The suspects went outside and were still in the parking lot when the bar owner stepped outside. He ordered them to leave again, and they got into a red two-door Saturn.
They drove toward the bar owner and struck him with their car, then struck him again as they fled the lot, police said.
The 43-year-old bar owner fired several shots at the car, police said, and three bullets hit an unoccupied house in the 2400 block of West Greenfield. Police don't know if the Saturn was hit.
Police are looking for a 22-year-old man known by name, and an unknown 18-year-old man. He is about 5 feet 6 inches tall, 150 pounds, with dark hair.
The bar owner suffered only minor injuries in the incident and was treated at the scene.
4/30/08
Overland Park, Kansas
From the Kansas City Star of April 30, 2008
Burglar greeted by gunfire
Overland Park police are investigating a business burglary where an employee fired shots at a suspect. But the suspect, who may have been hit, was able to get away.
The incident occurred at 10:50 p.m. Tuesday at Ratliff Guttering Company in the 5000 block of Mackey Street.
Police said a company employee had been sleeping in an apartment inside the business when he heard a loud crash coming from the garage area. The employee grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun and went to the garage area to investigate.
The employee saw the garage door partially open and then saw a man inside near one of the company’s trucks. He then fired a shot and heard the man yell. The intruder then ran towards the garage door and the employee fired again.
Police found blood on the garage floor but could not find the intruder anywhere. They alerted hospitals and other area law enforcement agencies.
Labels: business burglary, KS
12/14/07
Wichita, Kansas
From the December 14, 2007 Wichita Eagle:
Wichita police are investigating a break-in at an apartment that led to one of the suspects being shot.
Two men forced their way into an apartment in the 2700 block of East Ninth Street at about 6 p.m. Thursday, police reported, and began beating up a 26-year-old man who lived there. The victim broke away at some point and fired a shot at the two suspects.
One of them, a 24-year-old man, was hit by the bullet and later went to Wesley Medical Center, police said. He was admitted and remains hospitalized today. Police are still looking for the second intruder, a 31-year-old man known by the apartment resident.
The incident remains under investigation, police spokesman Gordon Bassham said, but the shooting "may have been self-defense."
Labels: home invasion, KS
10/24/07
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of October 24, 2007
Woman shot, man injured in domestic dispute
Wichita police are investigating a domestic violence disturbance that occurred Tuesday night in the 500 block of North Spruce.
Sgt. Jeff Davis said a 76-year-old man asked his 52-year-old girlfriend and roommate to move out. She poured bleach on him, a police report said, and then sprayed him with Mace. As she began hitting him with a frying pan, he pulled out a .38 revolver and shot her twice in the left shoulder.
Emergency workers transported both of them to Wesley Medical Center.
Doctors treated and released the man; the woman is in serious condition, Davis said. Police did not arrest the man, Davis said, but expect to arrest the woman when she is out of the hospital.
"We think this was a situation of self-defense," Davis said.
Labels: domestic abuse, KS, senior
10/15/07
Iola, Kansas
From the Iola Register of October 15, 2007
Woman shot in dispute
Allen County Attorney Jerry Hathaway will decide whether to file charges from an incident that involved discharge of a firearm in a domestic setting a mile southwest of Iola Saturday evening.
Sheriff Tom Williams said Don Hammer, when confronted by his wife, Geraldine, holding a handgun and aiming it at him, fired a single shot that struck her hand and sent the weapon flying to the floor. The confrontation came after the couple apparently had argued, William said.
Williams said Gerlandine Hammer, 68, riding a motorized scooter, retrieved a .25 caliber handgun from a cabinet just prior to the shooting. Don Hammer was armed with a .357 caliber handgun.
“When she confronted him with the weapon, he shot it out of her hand,” the sheriff said. “He then called 911.”
Geraldine Hammer suffered a minor wound to a finger. She was taken into protective custody and was released to family after a screening by mental health authorities.
Don Hammer also was taken into custody after Lee Roberts, a 911 dispatcher, convinced him to come from the house and give himself to officers, several of whom were waiting outside.
Hammer later was released.
“We looked at the scene and everything matched statements made by both of the Hammers” that it was self defense on his part, Williams said.
The case will remain open until Hathaway decides whether charges are warranted.
Labels: domestic dispute, KS
8/25/07
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of August 25, 2007
Police: Clerk shoots, kills would-be robberFrom Wichita’s KAKE.com of August 27, 2007
A man in his 40s died today after he was shot by an employee while he was trying to rob a Wichita pharmacy, police said.
The man walked into Salyer Pharmacy at 102 E. 21st St. about 10:45 a.m. Saturday. He had a handkerchief over his face and a gun in his hand, Wichita Police Lt. Sam Hanley said.
He demanded money from at least two clerks, Hanley said, and "at some point, they produced their own weapon" and shot the man. The man died about 20 minutes later at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus, Hanley said.
Dead Robber Identified in Self-Defense CaseFrom Kansas.com of August 28, 2007
Police have identified the armed robber who was shot and killed by a store employee Saturday morning.
Officers say 27-year-old Alexander Mies entered Salyer's Pharmacy at 10:47am with a bandage over part of his face, exposing just one eye. He asked to pick up a prescription under an alias name. Mies then pulled out a handgun and pointed at the clerk.
At that point, a 58-year-old employee shot Mies once in head with a shotgun.
No customers were inside at the time - just three employees. A delivery worker arrived in the middle of the holdup.
Mies pronounced dead at 11:15 am. Police say the shooting appears to be a simple case of self-defense.
WOULD-BE ROBBER KILLEDFrom Wichita’s KAKE.com of September 12, 2007
When the man pulled out a handgun in Salyer Pharmacy and demanded drugs Saturday, pharmacist Tom Lundberg bolted for a back room.
He didn't go there to hide.
He went to grab his shotgun.
"I didn't know what was going to happen," Lundberg said Monday.
When the intruder pointed his gun at Lundberg and his pharmacy co-owner, Lundberg didn't hesitate.
He fired the shotgun once, hitting the man in the head and killing him. Police identified the man Monday as Alexander R. Mies, 27.
Here's what police and Lundberg say happened:
About 10:45 a.m. Saturday, a man walked into Salyer's, 102 E. 21st St., with a bandage wrapped around his head, leaving one eye exposed.
He approached the counter and told an employee he was there to pick up a prescription, but he used an alias, police said.
At that point, the man pulled out his gun while yelling and demanding Lortabs and narcotics, Lundberg said.
That's when Lundberg ran to grab a shotgun he has kept at the pharmacy since a 1993 robbery attempt.
When Lundberg came out of the back room, he saw the intruder pointing the handgun at co-owner Fred Karban, Lundberg said.
At one point, the man ducked behind the counter and Lundberg thought he was going to leave.
"Then, he came right back up and pointed it at Fred," Lundberg said.
"And then, he pointed it back at me, and then I shot him. That's pretty much the end of it."
Lundberg, 58, has been a pharmacist in Wichita for 35 years, the past 20 at Salyer's.
After the police interviews, he finished out his work day, including delivering medicine to nursing homes. He was back at work Monday at the pharmacy.
Wichita police said they could present information about the case to the Sedgwick County district attorney's office today for review.
Lundberg said he doesn't expect the office to find he did anything wrong. He said that a police detective told him: "Obviously, if it was a problem, I wouldn't be talking with you here," at the pharmacy.
He said he had received several calls of support, and some customers who hadn't seen him in a while stopped by.
"It's kind of a sad deal," he said.
"I feel kind of sorry more for his family. I just wish he hadn't put me in that situation, is what I wish."
Pharmacist Cleared in Self-Defense Shooting
A pharmacist who shot and killed a robber last month has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
On Wednesday morning, District Attorney Nola Foulston's office released a report detailing what happened.
…
Investigators say Alexander Mies pulled a gun on a worker at Salyer Pharmacy at 21st and Broadway on Saturday, August 25. Mies entered the store with a bandage over part of his face, exposing just one eye. He asked to pick up a prescription under an alias name. Mies then pulled out a handgun and pointed at a pharmacist.
Another pharmacist, Tom Lundberg, reached for a shotgun behind the counter. Police say he ordered Mies to drop the gun, but when Mies didn't, Lundberg fired once, hitting the robber in the head.
No customers were inside at the time - just three employees. A delivery worker arrived in the middle of the holdup.
Investigators ruled the shooting as a simple case of self-defense.
Labels: business robbery, KS
7/26/07
Topeka, Kansas
From Topeka’s WIBW.com of July 26, 2007
Robbery Foiled When Clerk Got to His Gun Sooner
A robbery quickly turned sour for the robber late Wednesday night when the cashier got to his gun faster than he could. According to Jim Cormier, who was working the register that night, the man came into Cormier Liquor, 2611 SE California, around eleven o'clock carrying a black gym bag.
When the man reached into the bag and began to reach for his gun, Mr. Cormier showed his own. The suspect took off running and headed south down the alleyway.
Police described the suspect as a black male, 5'4", 135 lbs., wearing a black doo rag and a black silky scarf around the lower half of his face.
Labels: business robbery, KS
2/4/07
Wichita, Kansas
From Wichita’s KAKE.com of February 3, 2007
Men Critically Hurt in Fight
An argument between two men escalates, ending with one man stabbed and the other shot. Now police are trying to figure out what lead up to the bloody fight. It happened early Friday evening at a home in the 1700 block of South Sedgwick.
Police believe the two men were arguing over something when the fight escalated to violence. Apparently, one of men stabbed the other. Police say the person who had been stabbed then shot the attacker. Police believe the shooting was self defense.
Police say the man was shot multiple times but he managed jumped in the other man's truck and took off. Officers had just arrived to find the stabbing victim when the shooting victim returned to the scene. The injured men were taken to the hospital. They're both listed in critical condition.
Police interviewed neighbors to see if any of them heard or saw anything that would explain what led to this fight. They say it's too early to tell if alcohol may have been involved.
Labels: altercation, KS
1/22/07
Topeka, Kansas
From Topeka’s 49ABCNews.com of January 22, 2007
Concealed carry permit holder shoots suspect
An Oklahoma concealed-carry permit holder thwarted a robbery at a Topeka convenience store Friday night, police said.
Police said 57-year-old Michael Mah shot a 17-year-old suspect who was trying to rob the Phillips 66 at 29th and Randolph, after telling him to drop his weapon. The owner of the store, Dean Yee, told police two men ran inside, when one of them pointed a gun at him and demanded money. Concealed weapons advocates said Mah did the right thing.
“The bad guys … better be careful who they pick on,” said Troy Powell, a retired cop who recently moved here from Texas.
Powell said the shooting is exactly what concealed-carry is intended for.
“The guy was right there on scene and had firsthand knowledge that it was happening,” said Powell. “I think he reacted appropriately and probably he could’ve saved that guy’s life and his own.”
Police said Mah shot the man just once.
“I don’t think any of these people that carry-concealed are wanting to do someone it, they’re just wanting to stop the guy, to keep him from hurting … someone else,” Powell said.
Mah had a concealed carry permit from Oklahoma, one of 22 states from which permit holders can also carry a weapon in Kansas, police said.
Powell said the shooting reaffirms the decision legislators made last year to override the governor’s veto and pass the law.
“This incident, it supports that they’re right,” he said. “Concealed carry is a privilege that citizens should have.”
Police said the man who shot the suspect likely won’t be charged with a crime, since he had a valid permit. But, the final decision will be left up to the district attorney.
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, KS
1/3/07
Topeka, Kansas
From the January 3, 2007 Topeka Capital-Journal:
A 21-year-old man who was shot by a clerk during a weekend robbery attempt at a central Topeka convenience store remained in a local hospital Tuesday night, police said.
The man, identified by police as Arthur L. Crane III, was wounded at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday at the Smokers and Convenience Store, 1237 S.W. Huntoon.
Authorities on Saturday night indicated Crane had been shot in the abdomen. Information on his condition wasn't being released Tuesday night by Stormont-Vail Regional Health Care officials.
Maj. John Sidwell, Topeka Police Department spokesman, said Crane entered the business and held the clerk at knifepoint, demanding cash from the register.
Crane then stood in front of the clerk and put his hand toward his hip, Sidwell said.
The clerk, believing he was about to be shot, drew his own gun and fired at Crane, Sidwell said. The clerk wasn't sure if anyone was hit as a result of the gunfire.
Crane fled the scene and about 45 minutes later went to Stormont-Vail, authorities said.
Labels: business robbery, KS
10/19/06
Kansas City, Kansas
From Kansas City’s KSHB.com of October 19, 2006
Clerk injures self during holdup
A convenience store clerk is going to be OK after he accidentally hurt himself during an armed robbery.
The 21-year-old man said at 10 a.m. Thursday someone entered the store at 400 N. 10th St. in Kansas City, Kan., pointed a gun at him and demanded money. The clerk grabbed another handgun in an effort to scare the robber. The gun went off somehow hurt the man's hand.
The clerk is expected to be OK. The would-be robber fled the scene without any loot.
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, KS
8/28/06
El Dorado, Kansas
From the El Dorado Times of August 28, 2006
Thomison found not guiltyWhat follows is an extensive account of the background, the judge's instructions and statements by both attorneys. There is a strong implication that the jury accepted Thominson’s claim of self-defense, but no explicit statement to that effect appears here.
A Butler County jury has returned a not guilty verdict in a case involving a shooting last year in El Dorado.
Bart M. Thomison, 21, had been charged with murder in the second degree or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter.
That was in connection with the shooting death of Joshua Freed, 19, at about 11 p.m. on the night of Aug. 18 of last year.
The shooting occurred as the result of a confrontration between Thomison and Freed in a driveway at a residence in the 1200 block of Douglas Road.
Labels: altercation, KS
4/5/06
Wichita, Kansas
From Wichita’s KAKE.com of April 5, 2006
Strip Club Shooting
A Wichita strip club erupts in violence when an out of control patron is shot by the manager. It started at Baby Dolls at 48th and Arkansas just after midnight. Witnesses say 36 year old Lance Nelson was making degrading comments about the dancers and bar staff. That's when the bar manager pulls out a gun and shoots Nelson in the chest. Nelson and a friend then leave the bar and drive off. A short time later Park City police stop the two at I-135 and 29th street. The driver of the car runs from officers, meanwhile Nelson slides into the driver's seat and drives himself to the hospital. Police questioned the bar manager about the incident, but let her go saying it could be self defense and will leave it up to prosecutors to make the final determination. Police are still searching for the driver that ran off.
Labels: altercation, KS
4/2/06
Topeka, Kansas
From the Topeka Capital-Journal of April 2, 2006
Requires free registration
Bar holdup ends in death
A man believed responsible for a home invasion late Friday in the Oakland area was shot to death shortly after midnight after he assaulted a bar manager during an attempted robbery, police said Saturday.
The crime spree also left two people injured.
Police found Russell Joe Collins, 23, of Topeka, dead from a gunshot wound just after midnight Friday, lying in the 700 block of S.W. 2nd Street between Taylor and Polk. Collins was identified as one of two men who earlier had burglarized an Oakland home and assaulted an elderly man in the process, said police spokeswoman Kristi Pankratz.
His alleged accomplice, Bobby Lee Cott, 19, 405 S.W. Tyler, was arrested in connection with numerous offenses when police responded to a robbery in progress at the Bavarian Inn, 712 S.W. 2nd St.
According to a police report, the sequence of events began at 11:15 p.m. when Collins and Cott forced their way into a home at 408 N.E. Strait in Topeka's Oakland area. During the burglary, the two were confronted by a resident, James Noland, 75, who suffered a stab wound when one of the intruders attacked him with a knife, police said.
Noland was taken by American Medical Response ambulance to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center, where the hospital wouldn't comment on his condition Saturday. Police said his condition wasn't life threatening.
His 83-year-old wife, Vida, was home when the attack occurred, but she wasn't harmed, police said. A .22-caliber rifle was taken in the break-in.
Officers were at 408 N.E. Strait when they were called to the robbery at the Bavarian Inn.
"An employee of the Bavarian was beaten and during the struggle, got ahold of a firearm and fired at his assailants," Pankratz said.
On Saturday afternoon, patrons in the Bavarian Inn said employees had been closing the business for the night when two men entered armed with a knife and a rifle.
…
Collins' death was being investigated, and police said self-defense was among the aspects being considered.
Labels: assault, business robbery, KS, senior
3/3/06
Sedgwick County, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of March 3, 2006
He gets shot, he sues, he pays
The jury in dueling civil lawsuits decides that the man who shot another man was the one who was wronged.
A mechanic wounded by a gunshot should pay the man who shot him at least $250,000.
That was the verdict Thursday of a Sedgwick County jury, following legal battles that have paraded through both the criminal and civil district courts.
The lawsuit ended nearly 18 months after a jury in a criminal trial found that Dan Herpolsheimer of Mulvane shot Keith McGinley in self-defense.
McGinley sued Herpolsheimer, who responded with a counterclaim for battery and trespassing.
Now, McGinley stands to lose another $500,000, because Thursday's verdict allows Herpolsheimer to seek punitive damages, which can equal up to three times a jury award.
Russell Mills, McGinley's lawyer, said he'll ask Sedgwick County District Judge Eric Yost to strike the verdict and give him a new trial.
"We recognized this was an unusual verdict, finding against a man who was shot," said presiding juror Pamela Clancy. "But we really felt like Dan was the victim here."
Clancy, herself a lawyer, said McGinley became argumentative during his testimony and changed details of his story under cross-examination by lawyer Kurt Kerns. Kerns represented Herpolsheimer in both the criminal and civil trials.
Herpolsheimer, meanwhile, told the same story he'd given to police after the shooting in October 2003:
In a drunken rage, McGinley attacked Herpolsheimer. Herpolsheimer ordered McGinley out of his home. McGinley pulled a knife, causing Herpolsheimer to shoot him with a .357 Magnum.
"Dan's story rang true," Clancy said.
Herpolsheimer, 53, asked for $250,000 in pain, suffering and mental anguish -- the maximum allowed by law.
"I asked for justice," Kerns said after the verdict. "My client has suffered damages in his heart, his spirit and his mind."
The jury calculated $25,000 in past damages and $225,000 in future damages for the award.
Said Clancy: "We figured Dan (53) had a life expectancy of 26 more years. About 10 percent of his life was three years ago. That left $225,000 for the rest of his life."
The jury decided the seriousness of McGinley's attack called for punitive damages.
1/21/06
Wichita, Kansas
From January 17, 2006 KAKE channel 10:
Mason just got home from work.
He pulled into the garage, got out of his truck and headed to the door to go inside and meet his wife.
"I started to step up to the first step, somebody said mother "bleep" and they hit me in the back of the head with a pipe."
The victim's wife, Debi Georgiou Mason, says, "Don was face down on the floor with blood."
She says the three men all had handguns, masks, and were dressed all in black.
Debi tried to pull her injured husband into the house, but he was too heavy.
She ran down the street to get help.
In the meantime, Don Mason, trained in martial arts, wasn't about to let his attackers in his house.
"I rolled in under him and knocked him in the crotch and knocked him in the air four foot backwards."
Mason managed to knock all three to the ground.
Then he yelled to his wife to get the shotgun.
That's when the three attackers took off.
Mason says, "I hate to say it, but if my wife had handed me the gun I would have shot them to death."
Labels: assault, home invasion, KS
1/17/06
Salina, Kansas
From the Salina Journal of January 17, 2006
Man returns fire after shotgun blasts
No arrests made
When someone shot a 12 gauge shotgun into the ground near his home, Harold Strait, 34, 545 Saturn, returned fire Sunday morning with a .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun.
A neighbor called police to report gunshots at 2:35 a.m. Sunday, Deputy Chief Barry Plunkett said.
Officers recovered six .45-caliber shell casings and two 12 gauge shotgun shell casings.
Strait told police the shotgun shooter was in a red or maroon pickup truck. It was driven away after the shots were fired.
There were no arrests, but Plunkett said "a whole lot of investigation" is continuing.
Labels: drive-by shooting, KS
12/30/05
Wichita, Kansas
From Topeka’s WIBW.com of December 28, 2005
No Charges Expected Against Teen in Salina Woman's Death
Authorities in Wichita call the death of a 41-year-old Salina woman "justifiable homicide.''
Elizabeth White was shot near the heart Tuesday by a pellet gun fired by her 14-year-old son. Police say White had started a violent argument with her parents, and the boy fired to defend his 73-year-old grandfather.
White drove away after being shot and crashed her car a few blocks away.
Wichita police say the 14-year-old and his brother had been living with their maternal grandparents in the city. The fight broke out sometime after White arrived yesterday from Salina.
No charges are expected to be filed against White's son.
Labels: business robbery, domestic dispute, KS
11/7/05
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of November 7, 2005
Wichitan, fighting home intrusion, shoots himself
A 51-year-old Wichita man has returned home from the hospital after being wounded by his own bullet when he fired at intruders early Friday morning.
The victim told police that five men broke into his house shortly before 7:30 a.m. Friday in the 1100 block of North Woodrow and demanded his coin collection. One of them had a handgun, he said. The resident grabbed a gun of his own and fired, but the bullet ricocheted and struck him in the eye.
He was taken to Via Christi Regional Medical Center's St. Francis campus for treatment, then transferred to Wesley Medical Center Saturday for eye surgery.
He was released from the hospital on Sunday.
Labels: defender shot, home invasion, KS, residence robbery
10/10/05
Kansas City, Kansas
From Kansas City’s WCTV5.com of October 10, 2005
Witnesses: Person Shoots Man Trying to Steal Equipment
A man trying to steal work equipment ended up getting a bullet instead, witnesses.
It happened at about 2:45 a.m. in the 1300 block of Freeman.
An alarm on the driveway went off, so his son went outside to investigate, a family member on the scene said.
That was when the son ran into the would-be burglar and shot him, the family member said.
Paramedics took the man to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Labels: KS, street property theft
9/7/05
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of September 7, 2005
Not-guilty verdict in Sutton murder case
Joe Sutton is not guilty of murder.
A jury acquitted Sutton in the Dec. 5 shooting of Tyrone "Anthony" Lewis this afternoon.
Sutton had argued that he shot Lewis in self-defense. The jury of seven women and five men deliberated about eight hours, beginning Tuesday morning, to reach their verdict.
Sutton had been in jail since December, as his case took several twists and turns that resulted in two trials. His first trial ended in mistrial, after his lawyer failed a court-ordered drug test.
This time, with Roger Falk as counsel, Sutton won his freedom.
Sutton had testified that he went to Lewis' apartment in the 5300 block of south Lincoln that Sunday afternoon. Lewis had beaten his girlfriend, Sutton's cousin, and the woman had left behind her baby son. Sutton went to retrieve the 6-month-old.
When Sutton arrived, he testified, Lewis entered the apartment with a gun. Sutton said he had taken his own gun because of Lewis' gang affiliations. Lewis died of two gunshot wounds to the back.
Prosecutor Kevin O'Connor had argued to the jury that Sutton couldn't have shot in self-defense and still hit Lewis in the back.
Labels: altercation, KS
8/9/05
Leavenworth, Kansas
From the Kansas City Star of August 9, 2005
Man, 71, says he shot burglar
A 71-year-old Leavenworth man told police Monday that he shot a man who had broken into his home.
The homeowner, who lives in the 1100 block of Pawnee Street, told police that he heard someone breaking into his home about 8 a.m. Monday, said Leavenworth Police Maj. Patrick Kitchens.
The homeowner said he saw a man standing at the top of a stairway near the garage. The homeowner told police he fired shots at the man, who fled out the door.
Police think the intruder is a 24-year-old Lansing man who showed up at a Leavenworth hospital at 10:30 a.m. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Kitchens said the Leavenworth County attorney would determine whether charges would be filed against the suspect.
Prosecutors could also consider charges against the homeowner, Kitchens said, although the decision to use deadly force could be justified if the suspect was committing an aggravated burglary.
Labels: KS, residence burglary, senior
7/30/05
Kansas City, Kansas
From Missouri’s TheKansasCityChannel.com of July 29, 2005
Shooting Near KCK Business Leaves 1 Dead
Police are investigating a shooting at bike and tire shop Thursday.
At about noon, the owner of Cyberyde, located at 760 Osage St., was confronted by two people with guns, police said.
The owner told KMBC the men came in and demanded money.
Witnesses told KMBC that they heard at least three shots fired. Two people were shot. One of the victims died. That person's name has not been released. The other victim was reported in serious condition, officials said.
The owner was not injured in the shooting.
KMBC reported that one of the victims was found near the shop. The other had flagged down a pickup truck driver to ask for help.
Labels: business robbery, KS
3/30/05
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of March 30, 2005
Intruder's bullets just missed table of three children
Intruders trying to shoot their way into a home Monday morning fired into a kitchen door, and on the other side sat three young children at a breakfast table.
"It's fortunate that those bullets went straight into the kitchen cabinet and not to the left, hitting one of those kids," Capt. Randy Landen of the Wichita Police Department said Tuesday.
None of the children, nor a woman at the table with them, were hurt. But two men were in the Sedgwick County Jail awaiting criminal charges.
A third intruder remained in a Wichita hospital with multiple gunshot wounds after one of the residents fired back.
According to police reports:
The shoot-out resulted in 16 shots being fired between the intruders and a man who lived at the house in the 2700 block of North Wellesley. One of the intruders, a 20-year-old man, was shot multiple times and suffered a fractured hip.
The resident who fired back with a handgun was shot in the left arm.
Robbery was the apparent motive behind the shootings.
(More)
Labels: defender shot, home invasion, KS, residence robbery
9/24/04
Wichita, Kansas
From Wichita’s KSNW-TV of September 24, 2004
Grandmothers involved in shootout
A shootout in north Wichita has neighbors talking. That's because the alleged shooters are both grandmothers.
The scene played out in the 2600 block of North Holyoke.
"She come out with her black gun. She didn't know I had my little .25 automatic," said Ann Gartner.
"She pulled out a pistol and it was like the wild, wild West at the old folks home," said neighbor Gary Potts.
"I stepped around the right side of the car and 'pow,'" said Gartner. "I nearly hit her in the shoulder."
It's normally quiet in the 2600 block of North Holyoke except for Thursday.
Fifty-three year old Bertha Criner was on the front porch. 82-year-old Ann had driven up to Criner's home and the two got into a verbal argument which escalated into gunfire.
…
.When the bullets stopped flying, no one was injured and police say Ann was shooting in self defense.
Police arrested 53-year-old Bertha Criner.
Labels: altercation, KS, senior
9/17/04
Hartford, Kansas
From Topeka’s WIBW.com of September 17, 2004
No Charges Filed
The Coffey County prosecutor says a rural Hartford man was justified in killing his wife's ex-husband after he burst into their home and attacked them with a knife. County Attorney Douglas Witteman says Delano Nixon will face no charges. Authorities say 62-year-old Theodore Schmidt went to the southeast Kansas home of Delano and Linda Nixon on July 24th after fatally stabbing his girlfriend, 35-year-old Lisa Ragsdale. Witteman says Ragsdale was trying to end her relationship with Schmidt. He says Schmidt killed her by cutting her throat with a paring knife. Schmidt then drove to the home of the Nixons, who married one year after her 1991 divorce. Delano Nixon grabbed a single-shot shotgun that he kept in his bedroom. When he encountered Schmidt at the door of the bedroom, Nixon was knocked aside and suffered a knife wound across the chest. He killed Schmidt after the intruder attacked Linda Nixon and slashed her throat.
Labels: assault, domestic dispute, home invasion, KS
5/30/04
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of May 30, 2004
Intruder shot near Friends
A man trying to break into a home on All Hollow Street early Saturday was shot by the home's occupant, police said.
Police said the resident was sleeping about 3:30 a.m. when he heard someone trying to break through his bedroom window. The resident told police he grabbed a rifle and fired after warning the intruder, whom he knew, to leave.
The wounded man went to an area hospital for treatment. Police did not release further details of the shooting.
Labels: KS, residence burglary
2/18/04
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of February 18, 2004:
Intruder critically injured near Central and I-135
A man was critically wounded Tuesday night after he was shot during an attempted burglary, Wichita police said.
Just after 10 p.m., police were called to the 400 block of North Kansas, near I-135 and Central. A man told police that an intruder entered the back bedroom area of his trailer, said police Lt. Sam Hanley. The man told police he shot the intruder in the leg after telling him not to move. The intruder was taken to Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus in critical condition.
No arrests have been made.
