Apr 06, 2020

Man jailed after ax standoff at Kansas police department

Posted Apr 06, 2020 10:00 AM
Gleaves had 3 previous convictions for DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections
Gleaves had 3 previous convictions for DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man after a standoff at the police department Sunday in Arkansas City.

Just before 1p.m., a suspect later identified as Douglas R. Gleaves, 38, rural Cowley County entered the lobby of the police department and struck the interior door to the secured part of the police department with a long-handled ax, according to Police Chief Dan Ward.

Officers responding to the incident saw Gleaves outside with the ax, yelling at them, so they called for backup and secured an outer perimeter. Downtown was cordoned off for two blocks in each direction.

Officers attempted to talk Gleaves down for quite some time as other agencies arrived to assist, according to Ward.

At 3:14 p.m., Gleaves exited the building and was subdued using a Taser. Nobody was injured during the arrest, according to Ward.

Gleaves was treated and released at the scene by the Arkansas City Fire-EMS Department and then transported by police to South Central Kansas Medical Center for a mental health evaluation.

Ward said requested charges against Gleaves  will include aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property and criminal threat.

South Central Kansas SWAT, the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the standoff.