Investigation ongoing after man killed in police shooting near Maize

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Three days after a 27-year-old man died from his injuries in a police shooting near Maize, the Wichita Police Department shared bodycam footage and a timeline of events from the incident that it continues to investigate. The WPD, serving as an outside agency not involved in the incident, is leading the investigation into the Oct. 12 (Saturday) shooting death of Jonathan Macias in a neighborhood east of Maize, near 45th North and Ridge Road.

Speaking with the media on Tuesday morning, WPD Chief Joe Sullivan provided a timeline of events that led to the shooting and showed bodycam footage that showed part of the response that began with the Maize Police Department and expanded with from departments including the Park City Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.

Going over the timeline, Sullivan said about an hour ed from the time the first Maize PD officer responded to a disturbance call to the point at which a fatal shot was fired after the response expanded.

During the response, the WPD chief said Macias drove erratically through the neighborhood and officers couldn’t get Macias to stop. That effort included deploying stop sticks that flattened the vehicle’s tires.

At about 8:12 a.m., Sullivan said Macias drove through a fence, left the vehicle and ran back toward responding officers. He said that responding officers with the Maize and Park City police departments and the Sedgwick County sheriff’s office shot firearms and less lethal beanbag rounds.

Macias, fatally wounded, died at the scene.

“The incident ends when law enforcement sees Mr. Macias blade his body and reach toward his back, not following commands,” the WPD chief said. “You also hear officers warn they’re about to deploy less lethal (rounds) and also ordering him not to reach.”

Sullivan said Macias was wearing a ballistic vest carrier, which did not include ballistic s.

“But that is not something that you would know unless you were holding it,” he said.

The WPD chief said at one point during the incident, a deputy reported seeing Macias with a handgun during the incident. Sullivan said officers did not find a gun on Macias. who reportedly made the call that prompted the initial police response.

Sullivan said the man called to report a disturbance with a gun and it soon was clarified that he was calling about himself.

Sullivan said the investigation into what happened Saturday morning could take a couple of weeks to wrap up as the WPD goes through all the available footage and conducts all the necessary interviews. Ultimately, the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney to make the final decision as to whether the shooting was justified.

Sullivan is asking anyone with information who hasn’t spoken with investigators to reach the WPD Investigations Unit at 316-268-4407.

“This is clearly just an unfortunate incident, it’s a tragedy. I think for everyone involved it was an extremely chaotic situation,” Sullivan said. “We’re here today to put forth the facts to the public of what information was known at the time, what information was not known at the time. And then we’ll continue to gather those facts. Our role here is to gather all of the facts and we’re still in the process of doing that so we can make a comprehensive presentation to the district attorney.”