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22-year veteran of KCK police force kills armed assailant at Lenexa Costco

An off-duty police officer shot and killed a man who brandished a gun inside a Costco Wholesale store in Lenexa.

Posted Updated

By
Chris Oberholtz
LENEXA, KS — An off-duty police officer shot and killed a man who brandished a gun inside a Costco Wholesale store in Lenexa.

The Kansas City, KS Police Department identified that officer on Monday as Capt. Michael Howell, a 22-year veteran.

The police department said Howell was confronted with a deadly force situation during which time he discharged his firearm, killing the armed assailant identified as 58-year-old Ronald O. Hunt of Edwardsville, KS.

Officers were called about 11 a.m. Sunday to the Costco in Lenexa near Interstate 35 and 95th Street on the report of a gunman inside the business yelling and threatening customers.

Upon Lenexa officers arrival, it was learned that Howell, an armed, off-duty Kansas City, KS police officer, had engaged with the gunman in the store.

Police said Howell had been made aware of the gunman by fleeing customers and fired shots at Hunt who died at the scene.

Lenexa Police Capt. Wade Borchers said Howell just happened to be in the store shopping when the incident happened. Investigators are still trying to determine what the armed man did before the shooting.

Borchers says he's thankful the officer was there.

The case remains under investigation by the Johnson County Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Team.

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