Officer justified in fatally shooting man during standoff, Sedgwick County DA says

A 43-year-old Wichita man who was fatally shot by an officer earlier this year had run from police, entered a man’s home and was threatening to cut off the hostage’s head, according to a report released Wednesday by the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Larry Armour tried to offer police the man in exchange for Percocet and also demanded cigarettes and bubble gum during the 3-hour, 18-minute standoff that ended when an officer knocked out a window on the home and a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office sergeant on the SWAT team saw Armour leaning over the 75-year-old man while holding a knife, the release says.

“I’m going to cut his (expletive) head off,” Armour said, according to the release.

The sergeant fired one shot from his M4 rifle and killed Armour.

“All the reports, all the facts” point to the officer being justified in the shooting, DA Marc Bennett said during a Wednesday Zoom call about the report.

The shooting happened just after 3 a.m. at a single-story apartment in the 2400 block of East Harry on Jan. 25, 2024. But police first responded at 10:25 p.m. the night before after Armour’s ex-girlfriend called 911, the 16-page report says.

A stolen SUV and hearing voices

Here is what else the report says:

Armour had a knife and a hammer and demanded the ex-girlfriend’s SUV, saying: ‘If you don’t give your keys to your vehicle, you’re going to be next,’” she reported to investigators.

Armour told her he was hearing voices and had cut off his ankle monitor with a knife. The ankle monitor was in connection with two 2023 aggravated robbery cases where he reportedly had a knife, court records show.

He left in the SUV while still having the knife and hammer.

A couple of Wichita officers found the stolen vehicle around 11:28 p.m. and attempted a traffic stop, which led to a 14-minute pursuit before Armour stopped and fled on foot in the 2400 block of East Harry.

“During the foot pursuit, Mr. Armour turned and brandished a metal object at the pursuing officer(s),” the report says. “At approximately 11:45 p.m., Mr. Armour forced his way into the back door of a private residence in the apartment located at the east end of the complex and barricaded himself inside.”

Officers made contact with the Armour, who made different demands.

The report included an interview with an officer who negotiated with Armour. The officer reported Armour saying he was tired of hearing voices telling him to kill himself. Armour also said he was sick from withdrawing from Percocet pills.

“Mr. Armour said he didn’t want (the hostage) to get hurt and later said that (the hostage) was free to leave,” the report says, adding the officer concluded the hostage “may not have wanted to leave his residence.”

Police enter the home, armed suspect shot

The hostage also told his son during a call that the suspect had a knife and was threatening to kill him, the report says.

The officer told Armour he needed to come out. Armour said he wasn’t “without a fight,” the report says.

Officers went to make entry into the home while that officer was still on the phone with Armour.

The sergeant who shot Armour was at a window at the southeast corner of the home while other officers were trying to break open the front door. Another officer broke open the window when the sergeant saw Armour leaning over the victim, who was on the couch, while holding a knife, the report says.

The sergeant fired one shot through the broken window at 3:04 a.m. Armour was pronounced deceased at 3:37 a.m.

The sergeant has been with the sheriff’s office for about 16 years, with 10 years on the SWAT team. Bennett said he didn’t know of any past shootings the sergeant has been involved in.

This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM.