Wichita officers kill man who fired gun at them multiple times, police say

Wichita police say officers fatally shot a man who opened fire on them in the area of 21st and Arkansas on Wednesday evening.

Wichita police spokesman Andrew Ford said preliminary evidence indicates the man fired multiple rounds after officers deployed less-lethal means to try to subdue him. Before the shooting, the man had failed to heed police commands to drop a gun he was carrying while walking toward the busy intersection, Ford told media at the scene Wednesday night.

Police were sent to the area after someone in a home in the 2300 block of North Fairview called 911 at about 7:43 p.m., saying the man had a gun and was pointing it at another person in the house. Officers were dispatched at 7:46 p.m., Ford said.

“As officers were en route the suspect ... left the residence” and started walking down the street with a dog, a flashlight in his hand and a gun pointed at his own head, Ford said.

Officers quickly found him and followed “for several blocks ... while that suspect had the gun to his head,” he said.

The man yelled at the officers, who “were giving loud, verbal commands” using the loud speakers in patrol cars in an attempt to “deescalate and tell the suspect to put the weapon down,” Ford said.

As police were trying to convince the man, he “charged at the officers several times,” Ford said.

Several cars and pedestrians were in the area during the exchange, raising the risk that members of the public might be harmed, he said.

“The officers gave multiple commands trying to get this gentleman to drop the weapon,” but he refused to comply, Ford said.

Ford said the man continued yelling at officers as he approached 21st Street and Arkansas.

The officers responded by deploying less-lethal means to try to get him to drop the gun.

“When the officers deployed the less-lethal, it struck the suspect. However, immediately the suspect then turned and ... evidence at this time indicates the suspect fired multiple times at the officers,” Ford said.

Officers returned fire, killing the man, Ford said.

He was pronounced dead by emergency medical services staff at around 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The man’s name or age was not immediately released.

This is a developing news story. It will be updated when more information becomes available.