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East 24th standoff ends in tragedy
Published on -3/2/2010, 9:34 AM
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A nine-hour standoff Tuesday between police and a man reportedly brandishing an assault rifle ended with the death of a Hays man.
Brian Komarek, 28, was found dead inside his 211 E. 24th home of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead by Ellis County Coroner Lyle Noordhoek.
Hartsfield said that about 2 a.m. Tuesday, Komarek told his sister he planned to commit suicide. When she was unable to reason with him, she called the police.
When officers arrived on the scene, Komarek reportedly displayed an assault rifle and then went back into the house. He was the only occupant of the house, Hartsfield said.
Officers then began evacuating the neighborhood between Pine and Oak on East 24th, asking that those who didn’t leave to stay in their basements. Buses were on hand to transport those needing shelter to the Red Cross.
Special response teams from the HPD and Kansas Bureau of Investigation planned to make contact with Komarek as soon as the neighborhood was evacuated.
KBI’s specially trained negotiators were on hand to make attempts to talk to Komarek and try to convince him to come out of the home. After communication attempts were unsuccessful, according to the HPD, entry was made by the response teams at approximately 11:25 a.m.
Hartsfield expressed thanks for the KBI’s help.
“We’ve trained many times over the last years and every time they’ve been willing to come in,” he said. “It’s a really good cohesive team between our tactical response and their tactical response team.”
Check HDNews.net or see Wednesday’s Hays Daily News for more.
