U.S. 54 reopens to traffic after vehicle chase with authorities led to man being shot
A portion of U.S. Highway 54 between Greensburg and Pratt has reopened to traffic as authorities investigate a chase that led to a man being shot by law enforcement on Monday.
The man, whose identity was not released, was taken to a hospital in Wichita with non-life threatening injuries, Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Chad Crittenden said.
The incident began around 10 a.m. after deputies from the Kingman County Sheriff’s Office spotted a vehicle reported stolen in Saline County, Crittenden said.
The Kingman deputies chased the stolen vehicle after it failed to stop. The chase continued west into Pratt, where the KHP assisted. The pursuit ended at a Casey’s convenience store when a man and woman fled on foot from the vehicle, according to Crittenden.
The man and woman were the driver and passenger in the stolen vehicle, respectively. Their identities were not released and both are from out of state, Crittenden said.
The woman was taken into custody in the Casey’s parking lot after being tazed. The man eluded law enforcement and stole a pickup truck hauling a trailer at the Casey’s, Crittenden said.
The man continued west on U.S. 54 toward Kiowa County but at some point turned around and drove east back into Pratt County. A KHP trooper deployed stop sticks where the truck stopped at southwest 60th Avenue in Pratt County.
A shooting ensued at some point following the chase.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said that a deputy with the Pratt County Sheriff’s Office shot the man. No law enforcement officers were injured and it is unknown if the man was armed.
U.S. 54 was closed from two miles west of Pratt to just east of Greensburg for several hours. As of 3:20 p.m., the KanDrive map showed no active closures on U.S. 54.
This story was originally published October 23, 2023 at 4:12 PM.