Police arrest Wichita man on suspicion of murder in Monday’s homicide
Wichita police arrested a suspect wanted in Monday’s homicide during a traffic stop Tuesday in the 600 block of South Woodlawn.
Authorities say Donovan Michael Harrington, 25, of Wichita, was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a firearm in the shooting death of Miguel Tapia, 27. Harrington was also booked on a parole warrant issued by the Kansas Department of Corrections, Wichita police said in a news release.
Tapia was found shot and lying outside of an empty gray Nissan Pathfinder about 7:30 a.m. Monday in the 600 block of South Armour Drive. Police say their investigation revealed that Harrington was in the vehicle with Tapia, who was driving, and two women when a fight started and Harrington opened fire.
Harrington and the women, ages 19 and 20, ran away from the Pathfinder after the shooting and “flagged down an unknowing driver to get a ride,” police said in a news release.
Officer Kevin Wheeler confirmed that the “unknowing driver” was in the teal Ford F-150 police asked the public to help find on Tuesday.
Wheeler declined to say what Tapia and Harrington fought over, saying by email: “I can’t get into those details.”
Tapia died at a Wichita hospital in the hours following Monday’s shooting.
Police say investigators will present their findings to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, which will decide whether to file formal criminal charges.
Harrington, who is currently on parole for previous crimes, remained in the Sedgwick County Jail on Wednesday morning.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 9:12 AM.
