Hays Police Department
At 5:29 p.m. Wednesday, the Hays Communication Center received a 911 call regarding a domestic disturbance at 332 W. Eighth in Hays. The caller reported they were able to hear yelling and a physical disturbance in the basement apartment at that address. Officers from the Hays Police Department responded to the domestic disturbance.
Officers arrived and two females exited the apartment, one female was covered in blood and had suffered multiple injuries. The second female also had blood on her. A male then exited the basement apartment, and he was also covered in blood. Officers attempted to detain the male, but he ran back inside the apartment. The suspect shouted that he had a gun, and he threatened to shoot the officers. The victims were removed from the scene and a perimeter was established around the building. Several homes and businesses were evacuated as a result of this incident.
The Hays Police Department Special Situation Response Team and the Kansas Highway Patrol Special Response Team were called to the scene for the armed barricaded suspect. For over three hours, officers attempted to negotiate a peaceful surrender with the suspect. These efforts were unsuccessful as the subject continued to break out windows, display knives, threaten to burn down the apartment complex, and threaten to shoot the officers.
At 9:24 p.m., a chemical irritant was inserted into the apartment. Six minutes later the suspect exited the apartment but continued to resist arrest. The suspect refused to comply with the commands of the officers, and he then reached toward his waistband. Using a 40mm less than lethal launcher, a Hays police officer shot the suspect one time with a foam-tipped impact round. The suspect then surrendered and was taken into custody. The suspect was treated at the scene by EMS and transported to the hospital for minor injuries.
The suspect has been identified as Brenon L. Johnson, 33, of Hays. Johnson has been arrested for aggravated battery, aggravated assault, domestic battery, criminal threat, and interference with a law enforcement official. He is currently being held in the Ellis County jail. He has previous convictions for criminal threat and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
The Hays Police Department would like to thank the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Hays State University Police Department, the Hays Fire Department, and Ellis County Emergency Medical Services for their assistance in helping to bring this incident to a safe resolution. We would also like to thank the neighbors and local business owners for their patience and cooperation during this law enforcement operation.
