15-year-old taken into custody after threatening to jump from downtown rooftop
A 15-year-old who threatened to jump from the roof of a downtown building into the Little Arkansas River on Tuesday evening following a foot chase with police officers has been arrested.
The Wichita boy was arrested and charged on suspicion of several charges after police received a report that two juveniles at an apartment complex near Murdock and Waco were in possession of firearms, the Wichita Police Department said. in a release
When police responded around 6:11 p.m. on Tuesday evening, they found two boys who then fled on foot. One of the boys had a bag over his shoulder, which he threw while running from police. Inside the bag, police said, they found a stolen handgun.
While officers were chasing the boys, one of them climbed a ladder on a building in the 800 block of North Waco. Once he was on the building’s roof, he approached the edge overlooking the Little Arkansas and threatened to jump into the river, the release said.
A drone from the QuikTrip at 1010 E. Douglas was launched, and ICT Co-Responder Mental Health Teams and Crisis Negotiators responded. Using the bucket of a Wichita Fire Department truck, negotiators were able to access the roof and talk to the teen, the release said. At 8:17 p.m., he surrendered.
The teen was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm by a juvenile, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and trespassing. The second juvenile was not found, Capt. Aaron Moses confirmed in an email to the Eagle.
“Today, I’m extremely proud of the efforts of our staff, on the street and in support roles to bring this potentially tragic situation to a safe resolution for everyone,” Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said in the release.
