Video shows woman pulling gun on officers before she was shot at east Wichita hotel

Two officers had a loaded handgun pointed at them seconds before one officer fired at the woman holding the gun in the parking lot of an east Wichita hotel, police said Thursday.

Jennifer Michelle Miller, 34, of Wichita was hit in the neck Wednesday and had non-life-threatening injuries. She is expected to be released from an area hospital in the next few days. Miller will be booked into jail on two counts of aggravated assault of an officer, possession of stolen property, auto theft and felon in possession of a firearm, Capt. Jason Stephens said during a news conference where a video was released of the incident.

Police saw a woman, later identified as Miller, remove items from the trunk of a stolen red Subaru Legacy in a parking lot behind Red Roof Plus+, which is in the 7300 block of East Kellogg, Stephens said.

She then started to walk toward her room at the neighboring Sky-Palace Inn and Suites. Officers approached her and asked for her ID.

“Miller at that time reached into her purse and pulled out a black handgun, pointing it at both of the officers,” Stephens said.

The video shows a woman reaching into a bag on the ground while an officer hovers over her. The officer is at the front of the stolen vehicle that has a police SUV parked in front of it. Another officer is walking toward the back of the car when she reached into the purse.

She pulls out a handgun and points it at the officer who is just outside of arm’s reach after she takes a step back.

“We have a gun,” the officer says. “Put the gun down.”

The other officer retreats behind a pillar as a shot is fired, hitting Miller in the neck, Stephens said.

“She immediately drops the gun after that, prompting the officers to move in and provide her with medical aid,” he said.

The officer who fired the shot has been with Wichita police seven years. He was placed on paid administrative leave.

Police said the Subaru was reported stolen Tuesday from a business in the 9400 block of East 29th Street North. The owner of the car was called and arrived to get his vehicle before Miller was confronted by police, Wichita police Officer Charley Davidson said.

The handgun Miller pointed at officers was reported stolen from a car Monday in the parking lot of Towne East Square.

Stephens said officers have had roughly 400 calls in the past two years to businesses near the shooting site for underage parties, drugs, burglaries, domestic issues, thefts and other types of disturbances.

Contributing: Jason Tidd of The Eagle

This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 12:23 PM.