HollyMatkinWichita, KS – An Wichita police officer was the target of an “ambush-style attack” on April 18, when an unidentified gunman fired multiple rounds at the officer as he sat in a security vehicle outside a movie theater.
The unnamed officer was hired to work a security detail at the theater at approximately 10:45 p.m., KWCH reported.
Police said that the driver of a dark-colored SUV “covertly drove onto an unpaved embankment with the vehicle lights off,” Wichita Police Deputy Chief Jose Salcido said during a press conference on Friday.
The driver then “positioned behind the officer’s vehicle, and [fired] four to six shots from an unknown caliber firearm towards the officer,” Chief Salcido said.
The officer was not injured in the attack, and the gunman fled the scene in what investigators believed was either a Suburban or a Tahoe.
Flashes from the gunshots could be seen in video footage captured by a nearby security camera. Few other details could be seen in the video due to distance and poor lighting conditions, however.
Chief Salcido said that the shots were fired “fairly close” to the officer, but that the department initially held off on releasing details about the incident until they were “absolutely sure” about what had occurred.
“We didn’t want to cause undue alarm to the public,” he explained during the press conference.
The attack occurred in a busy entertainment hub with a bowling alley, hotel, and several restaurants, in addition to the movie theater, The Wichita Eagle reported.
Investigation into the incident was ongoing, Chief Salcido said.
The chief asked anyone with any information about the suspect or the attack to contact the Wichita PD, and said that a reward of up to $5,000 was being offered.
This attack occurred says before another Wichita officer’s patrol vehicle was shot up in front of his house Monday morning, according to KSN.
Police are investigating if the two incidents are related.
“This comes on the heels of two Florida officers being ambushed while eating in a restaurant so we had already spoke to the deputies about being very aware of your surroundings,” Sheriff Jeff Easter said, according to KSN. “Be very aware that there are people that have the desire to hurt law enforcement.”