More than a month after an officer-involved shooting in Hays, the Ellis County Attorney’s Office offered the following on the incident in a Thursday morning news conference:
UPDATED: Additional details from investigation.
In a news release Thursday, Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees detailed the findings of the Aug. 18 officer-involved shooting in Hays.
Drees read the summary to the news media and answered questions Thursday.
RELATED: Summary and full text of Thursday’s media release.
According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, on Aug. 18, Sgt. Brandon Hauptman of the Hays Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle for improper tag display because of an expired year decal.
Drees said Joseph “Joey” Weber, 36, failed to stop and attempted to elude, stopping in an alley. As additional law enforcement officers approached, Weber again drove away, he said.
Weber was pursued by three law enforcement vehicles to the 2300 block of Timber, where he got out of the vehicle and again refused to follow commands at gunpoint. The KBI report said Weber then fled toward a residence, and Hauptman attempted to take Weber to the ground, leading to a struggle between the two.
Drees said Weber tried to wrestle the handgun away, leading to the moment where Hauptman pushed the barrel of the gun to Weber’s chest and fired one shot. Hauptman and another officer immediately began CPR, but Weber was fatally injured by the shot.
Weber offered no communication to Hauptman during the incident, Drees said.
“Mr. Joey Weber never said anything until after the shot occurred,” Drees said, noting Weber’s family has heard audio recording and seen video recording of the incident.
“I first met with their attorney, Ken Wasserman, Salina, last Thursday and took him through the information and allowed him to view the videos. We then met yesterday afternoon with John and Nancy Weber (Oakley) their and attorney Ken Wasserman here in Hays.
“We also allowed them the view the view and hear the video, pursuant to a change in Kansas statute that allows the decedent’s family to view and hear those. We also covered the information and answered all questions they had.”
The recordings will not be released to the public or to media.
“They are investigative records,” Drees said, citing the Kansas Open Records Act, as he leafed through documents on the podium in front of him. “Criminal investigative records can be excluded and we are excluding them.
“The parents, along with their attorney, expressed their desire the recordings not be released. That’s not how they want their son Joey remembered.”
The struggle and the gunshot were audio recorded, but not visibly captured by the dashboard camera.
He added that the entire incident took place within a span of about 8 minutes, with the foot chase leading to the shot lasting just a few seconds.
The KBI report cleared Hauptman of criminal wrongdoing and confirmed Weber was not armed.
“No crime occurred because Sgt. Hauptman was acting in self defense of his person,” Drees said.
Drees offered his condolences to Weber’s family and thanked the public for their patience as the investigation was completed.
Hauptman remains on administrative leave until a professional standards investigation by the Kansas Highway Patrol is completed, according to the HPD.
Check Hays Post for more as details become available.
RELATED: KHP will lead professional standards investigation of incident.