HPD

On Feb. 17, at approximately 4:18 p.m., the Hays Police Department received a report of a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of West 17th Street.

Officers responded to the area and learned that Rodney L. Walters, Hays, was armed with a rifle and had made threats to harm himself and others. Officers from the Hays Police Department, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol established a perimeter around the house, and attempts to talk Walters out of the house were unsuccessful.

The Thomas More Prep-Marian High School was locked down as a precautionary matter. The Hays Police Department later assisted in escorting students and staff off the school grounds.

The Hays Police Department Special Situation Response Team, along with resources from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, were called to the scene. At approximately 8:45 p.m., the SSRT entered into the residence and arrested Walters for criminal threat and criminal use of a firearm. No one was injured during the incident.

The Hays Police Department is grateful for the patience and the assistance of the community throughout this incident.