Johnson County DA says officer saved lives in October Olathe police shooting
OLATHE, Kan. — The Johnson County District Attorney says the Olathe police officers involved in the October shooting that left a man dead was right to use deadly force.
The shooting happened in October near 126th Terrace and Canyon Drive.
District Attorney Steve Howe says a 21-year-old called 911 claiming his neighbor, 33-year-old Dan Laing, threatened his 10-year-old brother with a gun gesture with his hand.
When officers arrived, the 21-year-old reported several previous incidents, including one where Laing tried to hit him.
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Officers issued Laing a misdemeanor for assault.
Howe said Laing came back outside of his home with a loaded handgun, kicked in the front door to his neighbors’ house and that’s when the Olathe officer fired his gun. He heard a shot come from inside the house and fired several rounds at Laing.
“I truly believe he saved a lot of lives inside that house,” Howe said. “As I indicated there were seven individuals inside that home at the time he kicked the front door in, including two elderly people and so I think he clearly saved the lives of one or more of those individuals inside the home.”
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Howe also released body camera footage Friday of the shooting.
During the investigation, Laing’s wife came home and whispered to an officer “help me, help my children.”
