Investigtion underway in officer-involved shooting during pursuit

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred last night near the Fort Scott National Cemetery.

According to reports from media news sources, at 11:15 p.m. Thursday the KBI was asked to assist the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office following an officer-involved shooting that occurred at approximately 10:45 p.m. in Fort Scott. KBI agents and a crime scene response team responded to conduct the investigation.

Preliminary information indicates that at 9:30 p.m. a Bourbon County sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to a report of a suspicious vehicle near Fort Scott Lake. After a search of the area, the deputy located a red Ford Ranger pickup and observed the driver running a stop sign. The deputy initiated a traffic stop, however the driver of the Ranger refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued.

Officers from the Fort Scott Police Department joined the pursuit. At one time the chase was discontinued for safety reasons, and authorities lost contact with the Ford Ranger. They were able to locate the vehicle again and pursued it down a dead end dirt path east of the intersection of 230 St. and Kansas in rural Fort Scott. When the driver of the Ranger was unable to continue, he struck a Fort Scott Police Department vehicle while attempting to turn around. Then, the Ranger drove directly toward a Bourbon County sheriff’s deputy who had parked and exited his vehicle. The deputy fired toward the Ranger, which then drove into a culvert, disabling the vehicle.

The occupant of the Ranger was not hit by gunfire. He was identified as a 51-year-old man from Nevada, Mo., who was arrested and transported to Mercy Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.

Information from the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center shows David LeRoy Baldwin was arrested by the BCSO at 10:55 p.m. and charged with two counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, criminal damage to property, injure/defraud $1,000 to $25,000 a business, flee or attempt to elude and other traffic violations.

He is being held in the SEKRCC on no bond.

No law enforcement officers were injured during this incident, according to the online new sources.

This investigation is ongoing.

Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin offered some information, but referred calls to the KBI.