SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made an arrest.
Just before 9a.m. Wednesday, police responded to 2147 SW Westport Drive on a burglary to the animal clinic, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.
While officers were in route to the clinic, citizens saw an individual acting suspicious near AAA self-Storage and began to follow him as they called police. The individual pulled out a firearm and fired it at the citizen. The citizen, who was not struck, provided a good description of the individual, which was broadcast to officers.
Two detectives in the area saw the individual later identified as 42-year-old , Benjamin D. Hardesty run into the McDonalds located at 17th and SW Wanamaker.
Officers located him in the men’s bathroom and he was taken into custody without incident.
Hardesty is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Assault and Burglary charges. Officer were later able to locate the firearm near a business where Hardesty was seen disposing of it. Officers also located a business that had been burglarized. No injuries were reported at the scene, according to Munoz.