Suspect arrested after Leavenworth officer-involved shooting
02/24/2022

Donald Barden, Jr. ( Credit: Leavenworth Co Sheriff's Office)

(KAIR)--The Leavenworth man shot by authorities after he threatened them with a firearm is now in custody.

According to a release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, 31-year-old Donald Barden, Jr. was taken into custody by KBI agents “as he was discharged from the University of Kansas Rehabilitation Center.”

Following his arrest late Wednesday afternoon, Barden was booked into the Leavenworth County Jail on three counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

The charges stem from February 13 when Barden, early that morning, was found by authorities to be standing in the middle of the street, at the intersection of 5th and Seneca, in Leavenworth, armed with a handgun.

Traffic was blocked after Leavenworth Police, Lansing Police, and the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene and began to negotiate with Barden. He allegedly ignored commands to drop his weapon, and instead waved his gun around and made suicidal statements, prior to running “toward officers while pointing his gun in their direction.”

According to KBI, that’s when “one officer from the Leavenworth Police Department and one officer from the Lansing Police Department fired rounds toward Barden, striking him. At the same time, another officer from the Leavenworth Police Department fired bean bag rounds at Barden.” Officers then rendered aid to Barden, who was then treated by EMS and transported to the hospital in critical but stable condition.

According to KBI, the investigation is continuing, with the findings to be turned over to the Leavenworth County Attorney for review, once the “thorough and independent” probe is completed.


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