(WICHITA, Kan.) — The two men accused of shooting at Wichita police officers after allegedly robbing a KFC have been charged in federal court. 49-year-old James Adamson and 55-year-old Paul Sifuentez have been charged with robbery and committing a violent crime with a weapon.
Police spent several hours on the night of June 7th searching for the men after receiving a robbery call at a KFC on south Woodlawn. Federal prosecutors say personalized license plates on a getaway car helped lead to the suspects.
They say Sifuentez demanded money at gunpoint Thursday from a Kentucky Fried Chicken, then fled in a car with the personalized tag "SAVOY" registered to Adamson. When police made the initial stop, they say the suspects fired several shots at them and took off.
Adamson faces a maximum of 30 years in federal prison and Sifuentez faces a maximum of 45 year in federal prison. Authorities were able to charge the suspects in federal court because a KFC is a national franchise and the robbery violated the interstate commerce act.
It all started around 7:25 Thursday night, when police were called to an armed robbery at the KFC. Within minutes of the report, officers located the suspects driving away and attempted to stop them. They drove into a parking lot at Bailey and Woodlawn and stopped. When the officer riding in the passenger seat of the patrol car started to get out of the vehicle, the suspects opened fire. Police say they fired three shots at the patrol car, striking the vehicle and narrowly missing the two officers. The officers did not fire back.
The officer who was getting out of the car, received minor injuries from broken glass. "This was a violent assault on two of our officers," said Chief Norman Williams, "We are fortunate that neither officer was seriously injured or killed as a result of the suspects actions."
After the shots were fired, the suspects took off again. Another officer found the vehicle in the 7000 block of east Lincoln. Witnesses say the suspects got out of the car and headed towards the swimming pool of an apartment complex.
