Wichita shooting suspect faces charges, appears before judge

A man charged in connection with a shooting that injured another man last week made his first appearance before a Sedgwick County District Court judge on Friday.

Wesley Roberts, 30, was arrested Thursday night, according to a news release from the Wichita Police Department.

Roberts had been sought since a shooting July 9 in south Wichita. The shooting, followed by what police at the time thought to be a barricaded standoff, happened in the 1500 block of South Pattie, near Harry and Southeast Boulevard.

The shooting injured a 49-year-old Wichita man, according to police.

Appearing via video call before Judge Shawn Elliott, Roberts, wearing a green jailhouse outfit, said he understood the four counts he has been charged with, which include aggravated battery, robbery, being a criminal in possession of a weapon, and criminal damage to property.

The first three charges are felonies while the damage to property charge is a Class B misdemeanor. Roberts’ bond was set at $250,000.

The Wichita Police Department had been seeking Roberts since July 9. After the shooting, they found dozens of firearms, body armor and a large amount of ammunition in a bedroom in the house on South Pattie. They then issued a news release saying Roberts was believed to be armed and warning people not to approach him.

Thursday night, police sent out social media posts saying Roberts had been arrested.

“At approximately 8:45 p.m. (Thursday), officers located and arrested Roberts in the 700 block of N. Broadway,” the post, in part, read.

On Friday, Tyson Case, owner of Case Bail Bonds, at 705 N. Broadway, said Roberts called him to facilitate a surrender to police.

“He was in fear,” Case said. “I guess some of the detectives had been blowing up his friends pretty hard.”

Case said he saw the news release that police put out on social media about the arrest. He said he didn’t understand why it was worded the way it was.

“He called me to set the whole thing up,” Case said.

Roberts’ next court hearing is scheduled for July 27.