Off-Duty Officer Shoots Suspect Who Brandished Gun, Threatened Shoppers At Costco In Kansas
LENEXA, KS (KCTV) -- An off-duty police officer shot and killed a man who reportedly brandished a gun inside a Costco store in Kansas over the weekend.
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department identified the officer on Monday as Capt. Michael Howell, a 22-year veteran.
Officers were called Sunday to the Costco in Lenexa, Kansas on the report of a gunman inside the store who was yelling and threatening customers with a gun. Howell, who was shopping in the store at the time, heard about the gunman by customers running from the store.
He went inside the store and confronted the suspect, who police identified as 58-year-old Ronald O. Hunt of Edwardsville KS.
"He was a big white guy. He had a camo jacket on, black revolver in his hand. He was just pissed and yelling at people," said Miguel Robles, a Costco employee.
Howell eventually shot and killed Hunt. Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the shooting, but Lenexa Police Capt. Wade Borchers says he's thankful Howell was there.
Others echoed Borcher's words.
"Thank God that police officer was there," Kelli Lassman said. "Thank God that nobody was hurt. I know that him being not in uniform, there could've been some ramifications. But thank God that he did what he was supposed to do and everybody was safe and it wasn't a worse situation than it was."
The case remains under investigation by the Johnson County Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Team.
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