Investigators say he was able to get inside the first set of doors, which were unlocked, but not the second set. They say he then pulled out a weapons, forcing officers to shoot him. The church was empty at the time, but it's still not clear why he went there.
They say the chase started around 9:40 Saturday morning, in Saline County and ended at the church about fifteen minutes later.
The man has been taken to a local hospital. KHP has not released his name or age.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation.
ORIGINAL REPORT: 10:30 A.M. SUNDAY
UPDATED: 1:00 P.M. SUNDAY
by Melody Pettit & Cliff Judy (SALINA, Kan.)
A man was shot inside a Salina church Saturday morning after a chase with the Kansas Highway Patrol. The shooting happened at the Emmanuel Christian Center in the 1300 block of E. Cloud.
Around 9:45 a.m., troopers were dispatched on a domestic call to a location in Saline County.
When troopers located the man's vehicle, a chase began lasting approximately 10 to 12 minutes. The man drove into Salina, pulled up to the church, and tried to run inside. KHP Trooper J.L. Riedel says the man opened an unlocked outer door, but was stopped immediately inside by an area of the church currently under construction.
Trooper Riedel says the man was armed and presented a "lethal threat" with his weapon when troopers confronted him. That's when a trooper fired a single shot hitting the man in the abdomen.
The man has been taken to a local hospital. KHP has not released his name or age. Trooper Riedel also declined to comment further on the weapon the man had, the nature of the "lethal threat," and other measures KHP took to subdue the man before the shot was fired.
The KBI is investigating the incident, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings. The trooper who shot the man is on paid administrative leave pending the KBI's investigation, which is also standard procedure for the KHP in officer-involved shootings.
Eyewitness News Reporter Dave Roberts is on the scene. Expect us to bring you the latest on this shooting here at KWCH.com and in our on-air reports.
