Robert Melton, a veteran Kansas City police captain, was killed in a confrontation following a drive-by shooting and police chase on Tuesday, reported the Kansas City Star.
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Two people are in custody in the case and a third person has been released.
Investigators say Melton was in his patrol auto when he approached another suspect and was shot.
“The suspect produced a handgun, and fired several shots into the passenger side of Capt. Melton’s patrol auto, through the window, which was halfway down”, Zeigler said.
Two suspects are in custody for the fatal shooting and no other suspects are on the loose.
Senate President Susan Wagle, of Wichita, made her comments as Kansas officials expressed sadness over the shooting death of a Kansas City, Kansas, police captain.
Police Chief Terry Zeigler said during a news conference that authorities have two young men in custody, but declined to give details about possible charges.
“The contributions that peace officers make to protect and serve – they deserve better”, he said.
Funeral services have been scheduled for a Kansas City, Kansas, police officer killed in the line of duty.
Melton, who was wearing a protective vest at the time of the shooting, was transported to the University of Kansas Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly before 3:00 p.m.
Patrol officers go out in two-person cars, but the policy does not apply command staff and Melton was in the vehicle alone.
Zeigler described the 46-year-old slain police captain as a “big personality” and “gregarious” while he fought back tears during a Tuesday morning news conference.
Tomasic says he has been told a fourth person that police thought was a suspect might not have been involved. Authorities said at this time they have no reason to believe the shooting was a targeted attack.
Spokesman Tom Tomasic says officers responded around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to a report of an armed disturbance involving shots fired at a person from people in a auto. She said she had known Melton for almost 20 years, describing him as “born to protect and serve” and “a wonderful man with a heart of gold”.
Choking up between sentences, the chief said his department had come too far to let the second police killing in as many months destroy the trust it has worked so hard to build with their communities.
An officer with Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department is in critical condition after being shot while investigating a report of person being shot at by several people in a vehicle.
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Officers arrived at the scene, and police said the suspects crashed their auto into a fence before fleeing the area. He and another officer spotted a suspect.
