Ark Valley News - Standoffs languish but end peacefully

Police block Dexter between 77th North and Dover Aug. 17 during a seven-hour standoff involving a 23-year-old man.

Standoffs languish but end peacefully
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: September 02, 2016

No one hurt in either incident, one suspect arrested

In less than a week, Valley Center police were involved in two lengthy standoffs with two men threatening to hurt themselves inside two separate homes in Valley Center.

They both ended peacefully.

The latest was Aug. 21 at a residence in the 200 block of East Allen.

Police were called to a report of a man saying he placed bombs in the residence and he had barricaded himself inside around 2:30 a.m. The man's wife called 911 to say there were no bombs in the house.

Valley Center police Sgt. Thomas Delgado talked to the man by telephone for several hours. As the man's wife left, police entered the residence about 9 a.m.

The man was taken to St. Joseph Hospital for an evaluation.

Later, Keenan R. Kaufman, 32, was arrested at the hospital on East Harry in Wichita after an apparent fight with hospital personnel. He was booked into jail on a charge of aggravated battery.

On Aug. 17, police were involved in a seven-hour standoff with a 23-year-old man who had a gun and was threatening to hurt himself, his dad and officers.

The disturbance was at 700 E. Valley Park, which is in the southeast part of the city, Sgt. Lloyd Newman said.

Soon after the mother called 911, both parents were able to leave the residence without opposition. The father suffered minor injuries, but the injuries were not caused by a weapon, Newman said.

Officers were able to establish contact early on, Newman said, enough to know that the son refused to come outside. Newman said the son also threatened to shoot officers if they came inside.

Newman decided to call in the SWAT team from Wichita.

Meanwhile, 911 contacted residents in the area and advised them to shelter in place, preferably in their basements.

"In those types of situations, time is kind of on our side," Newman said. "… He didn't have any hostages inside. It was just him."

Negotiators were able to talk to the suspect occasionally, Newman said.

Around 2:30 a.m., the man agreed to leave the residence.

He was unarmed, Newman said. However, two guns and ammunition were found inside the house.

Detectives also discovered bullet holes in the walls of the basement.

"There were some rounds discharged inside the house at some point," Newman said. "We never heard them. It must have been early on before officers were close to the house."

Newman said the man was taken to the hospital for a mental evaluation. As of Aug. 22, he had not been booked into jail.

Newman said alcohol played a role in the disturbance.