HAYS, Kan. — A Hays Police officer was shot and killed on Sept. 28 while responding to a domestic violence incident, KWCH reported.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is leading the investigation into the fatal shooting, according to the report.
The deadly sequence of events began late Saturday night, Sept. 27, when Hays Police were called to a residence after a woman reported she had escaped a domestic violence situation and that her partner had rammed her vehicle with his truck as she tried to flee. She ran to a nearby home and called for help, according to the report.
Around 1:55 a.m. on Sept. 28, officers from Hays Police and the Kansas Highway Patrol set up a perimeter around the suspect’s home. During the response, a single gunshot was fired from inside the residence, striking a Hays Police officer.
Officers immediately rendered lifesaving aid and the officer was flown to a regional hospital. Despite efforts, the officer died just after 4 a.m. The officer’s name has not yet been released, pending family notification, according to the report.
The suspect then barricaded himself inside the home, prompting a tactical response. Law enforcement used gas munitions, window-breaking projectiles and a surveillance drone during the standoff, but did not fire their weapons.
At approximately 6:15 a.m., tactical teams entered the home and found the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The KBI confirmed that no other suspects are being sought. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Ellis County Attorney for review, according to the report.
The City of Hays said it will identify the fallen officer after all appropriate notifications have been made. The investigation remains ongoing.
