Standoff with barricaded person at Lenexa QuikTrip ends, investigation continues

LENEXA, Kan. (KCTV) - The Lenexa Police Department says a standoff with an armed person at a gas station has ended.

The person had barricaded themself inside a vehicle at the QuikTrip in the area of 87th Street and I-35. Police negotiated with the person for nearly an hour before they surrendered.

The area remained blocked off until just before noon.

Officer Danny Chavez said that officers had initially responded to a call about a domestic disturbance. When police arrived, they found a man and woman who had been arguing. The man was still in the car. Chavez said that, when officers approached the man, he raised a gun.

“We go into every situation, every traffic stop with the assumption that somebody could be armed,” Chavez said. “That was the case here.”

Inside the gas station, Chris Dhooghe and other customers wondered what was going on.

“I was just there for a refill like every other day,” he said.

Dhooghe hadn’t noticed the dispute that led to the call. A law enforcement arrived, he took video of officers approaching the car and then more police vehicles pulling into the lot, surrounding it.

“I was concerned for the police and for the man, too,” he said.

Officers began evacuating the QT, shuttling several customers to the Lenexa police building just a few blocks away. Dhooghe said he was allowed to walk straight to his business a few blocks away.

“It could have been bad,” he said. “I don’t normally get nervous but, today, I was nervous.”

Chavez said police eventually convinced the man to surrender himself. No shots were fired and no one was injured through the entire incident.

“We don’t want anyone to get hurt, whether it’s a suspect or a victim or innocent bystanders,” Chavez said. “We go into every situation trying to deescalate.”

After lunch, Dhooghe was able to get a ride back to his car. He was glad that nobody had been hurt and relieved that the situation was over.

“We got a little more than a refill today,” he said.

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