Wichita Police Department releases 911 calls, radio traffic from police shooting

A caller to Sedgwick County emergency dispatch said the shooting by police officers on South Palisade early Monday morning was “just too close to home.”

“My husband just left for work and it just terrified me,” she said earlier in the call.

Wichita police on Thursday released 911 calls and radio traffic from the incident on Monday in response to an open records request from The Eagle.

According to the callers, at least three and possibly six shots were fired in quick succession shortly before 4:30 a.m. Monday in an alleyway on South Palisade.

Interim Police Chief Nelson Mosley said earlier this week that officers were attempting to stop a white Chrysler Sebring matching the description of one stolen earlier that weekend when the driver of the car attempted to put distance between it and the police vehicles.

After turning down an alley and kicking up dust, the driver fled the vehicle. A police officer began pursuing the driver on foot when a 45-year-old passenger began backing the vehicle toward the pursuing officer.

Another police car with two officers arrived to assist the officer making the stop.

Mosley said the officers discharged their handguns toward the driver as the vehicle moved toward officers.

“Shots fired! Shots fired!” an officer shouts over radio traffic.

“All units – shots fired, officer in trouble, 1800 South Palisade,” a dispatcher says.

Later:

“I’m coming north to you. Are you going to have a crossfire situation?” another officer says.

“No, the passenger is still in the vehicle, injured. Driver ran west; correction, eastbound,” the officer replies.

Emergency Medical Services units were called to the scene shortly after and advised they could move in upon arrival.

On the department’s south/west common radio, an officer says, “he’s bleeding pretty bad. He’s bleeding” – before the recording cuts out.

The man was transported to Via Christi Hospital St. Francis in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the hand, abdomen and leg, where he remains hospitalized.

The second suspect, the original driver, was located near where the car ended up in the alley. He was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a felony warrant from Butler County, a misdemeanor warrant from Sedgwick County and traffic charges, police said.

After further investigation, police corrected information the department released earlier: The white Chrysler was stolen Friday evening and recovered Saturday morning and “was not listed as an actively stolen vehicle at the time of this incident,” a police statement said.

The three officers have been put on administrative leave according to policy, the statement said. Two of the officers had about two years of experience, and the third had six months.

Contributing: Stan Finger of The Eagle

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Wichita Police Department releases 911 calls, radio traffic from police shooting."