Man killed by police had gun, turned toward officers, department says

A man who was shot by police Saturday and later died had drawn a gun and was turning toward officers when he was shot, according to a statement from Wichita police.

Officers were sent to the Lamp Lighter Mobile Home Park, 2320 E. MacArthur, in south Wichita shortly before 8 p.m. on Saturday in response to a disturbance that included a 25-year-old man who had pointed a gun at a woman and threatened to kill both of them, according to a statement sent out by police Sunday afternoon.

After police arrived, a woman was contacted by officers outside the home. Police surrounded the home, and a man walked out of it and toward officers.

The man then walked back toward the house. Officers noticed a gun in his waistband before a police dog was released in an attempt to stop the man from re-entering the home.

According to police, officers then “saw the suspect draw a gun as he turned back toward them,” leading one officer to fire at the man.

At that point, a second officer, according to the statement, “saw a muzzle flash from the suspect’s gun” and fired his weapon as well. The suspect was wounded and later died at a local hospital, police said.

At some point during the standoff, a police dog was shot and also died. Sgt. Nikki Woodrow said Saturday night that the dog was shot by the suspect, though the statement sent out on Sunday indicated that a necropsy would need to be completed to know for sure.

“We believe the K-9 was shot by the suspect, but will know for sure after the necropsy and review of the evidence,” the statement said.

The police dog, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois named Rooster, had been with the department for five years. The department now has four police dogs, Woodrow said.

Investigators from the Kansas Bureau of Investigations and the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, along with Wichita police, are investigating the shooting.

This story was originally published March 19, 2017 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Man killed by police had gun, turned toward officers, department says."