7:35 p.m. – Hutchinson Police with the help of Wichita Police and the Reno County Sheriff’s Office managed to get Thomas Fee, 52, in custody after a long standoff that started around 9:47 a-m, Friday morning.
Fee was allegedly held up in a garage in the unit block of West 14th, according to Hutchinson Police Chief Dick Heitschmidt.
He says it was this morning when they began investigating a noise complaint that they were told was loud fire works. But, then officers heard a loud bang that they didn’t believe was fireworks. Officers remained in the area and then heard another loud bang that they believed to be a gun shot. One officer then left his vehicle and a man with a rifle appeared and fired a round into the ground and then 3 or 4 shots in the air. Heitschmidt was quick to point out that the individual didn’t fire at the officer.
The man remained held up in a two car detached garage. He apparently rented the east side of that garage which he used for storage. At one point, they fired several rounds of tear gas into the east side of the garage to try to get him to come out. He was apparently on the west side of the garage, so later they fired more into garage on that side and he ran out. They then used non-lethal bean bag rounds and he was then taken into custody.
Police had cordoned off a several block area and did evacuate some residents in the immediate area when they started firing tear gas into the garage.
They tried to contact him several times using a cell phones and a loud speaker. It appeared a couple of times that he might leave the garage, but then went back inside. They eventually brought in a armored vehicle from the Wichita Swat Team and used it to get close to the garage to fire the tear gas rounds.
Fee is no stranger to law enforcement. It was several years ago that he also held police at bay while living in an apartment in the old St. Elizabeth Hospital. He has more recently been on community corrections for a conviction of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Neither police nor prosecutors would speculate on any potential charges at this point and the police chief says they’re investigating the location as a crime scene.
It did delay the start of the Patriots Day Parade sponsored by Eagle Radio to give police time to block off the area where the standoff was occurring. They were concerned that participants would leave the parade and drive up Washington into the standoff area.
This armored vehicle from Wichita PD was used to help in bringing suspect into custody.
Hutchinson Police Chief Dick Heitschmidt briefs the media on Friday afternoon
5:25 p.m. Update Hutchinson Police Chief Dick Heitschmidt spoke to the media just after 5 p.m. The suspect reportedly rents the east side of a 2- car garage where he has been hiding from authorities.
Police fired tear gas into the location but the suspect may have been in the west side of the garage.
Check Hutch Post for additional details as they become available.
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4:45 p.m. Update The standoff near 14th and Washington continues in Hutchinson. Just after 4:30 p.m. authorities shot several rounds of tear gas into a location where a man barricaded himself late Friday morning. A SWAT team has been on the scene. Check Hutch Post for more information as it becomes available. (photos- Fred Gough)
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HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Police continue working a standoff that began around 9:47 a-m, Friday morning.
A man is apparently held up in a garage in the unit block of West 14th, according to Hutchinson Police Cheif Dick Heitschmidt.
He says it was this morning when they they began investigating a noise complaint that they were told was loud fire works. But, then they heard a loud bang that they didn’t believe was fireworks. Officers remained in the area and then heard another loud bang that they believed to be a gun shot. The officer then left his vehicle and a man with a rifle appeared and fired 3 or 4 shots in the air. Heitschmidt was quick to point out that the individual didn’t fire at the officer.
The man remains held up in a garage near a home in the unit block of west 14th, the chief wasn’t sure of the exact address, but though it was 20 or 22 West 14th.
Police have the area cordoned off and are not allowing anyone into the area. However, Heitschmidt says they have not ordered any evacuations at this point.
They have tried to contact the individual using cell phones and a loud speaker. It appeared a couple of times that he might leave the garage, but then went back inside.
He doesn’t live at the home where the garage is located, but is a frequent visitor to that garage according to Heitschmidt.
The Reno County Sherifff’s Office is assisting by helping block streets.
We will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as we get them.