Dec 02, 2022

Man who died in Kan. officer shooting had long history of crime

Posted Dec 02, 2022 10:00 PM

SHAWNEE COUNTY  The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) Friday identified the man who died Thursday morning in an officer-involved shooting in Topeka as 28-year-old Dylan Walstrom of Topeka who had a long history of crime.

He died after he was shot during a violent struggle with an officer from the Topeka Police Department.

Preliminary information indicates that just before 7a.m..officer from the Topeka Police Department (TPD) observed a vehicle that appeared suspicious because it was parked in the center of an alleyway southeast of the intersection of 20th St. and SW Lincoln St. Dispatch indicated the car, which was occupied by a male subject, had been reported stolen, according to a media release from the KBI.

Walstrom had previous convictions for theft, obstruction, evade a road block, interference with law enforcement, flee or attempted to elude law enforcement, falsely reported a crime and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections -photo KDOC
Walstrom had previous convictions for theft, obstruction, evade a road block, interference with law enforcement, flee or attempted to elude law enforcement, falsely reported a crime and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections -photo KDOC

The officer approached the vehicle on the passenger’s side. He gave several verbal commands to the male driver later identified as Walstrom that were not followed.

Then Walstrom opened the driver’s side door, and the officer met him on that side of the car. Walstrom was armed with a handgun and a close struggle ensued. During the struggle the officer fired multiple rounds striking Walstrom.  Walstrom fired one round that did not hit the officer.

Walstrom was pronounced dead at the scene. The TPD officer was uninjured during the incident. Per policy, the Topeka officer has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated.

Walstrom had previous convictions for theft, obstruction, evade a road block, interference with law enforcement, flee or attempted to elude law enforcement, falsely reported a crime and for drugs. He had been out of prison since November of 2020, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY  The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday morning in Topeka.

Preliminary information indicates that just before 7a.m..officer from the Topeka Police Department (TPD) observed a vehicle that appeared suspicious because it was parked in the center of an alleyway southeast of the intersection of 20th St. and SW Lincoln St. Dispatch indicated the car, which was occupied by a male subject, had been reported stolen, according to a media release from the KBI.

The officer approached the vehicle on the passenger’s side. He gave several verbal commands to the male driver that were not followed. Then the man opened the driver’s side door, and the officer met him on that side of the car. The man was armed with a handgun and a close struggle ensued. During the struggle the officer fired multiple rounds striking the male subject. The man fired one round that did not hit the officer.

Shots were fired at approximately 6:50 a.m. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The TPD officer was uninjured during the incident.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY —One man is dead following a Kansas officer-involved shooting.

Just before 7a.m. Thursday, a police officer initiated a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle occupied by one suspect in the east alley of the 2000 block of SW Lincoln Street in Topeka, according to a media release.

During the traffic stop, the suspect displayed a gun. The officer, in fear for their life, fired their gun, striking the suspect.  The officer was not injured.

The male suspect was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation. Per policy, the Topeka officer has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated.