HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder has ruled that Hutchinson police and other law enforcement were justified when they fired at a man wanted in connection to an earlier incident where another man was wounded in the leg.

The shooter in the June 20 incident was identified as 21-year-old Brendan Jones. Law enforcement was aware that Jones had an extensive record of criminal activity, which included resistance to police and other crimes of violence.

Officials learned he was at a home at 304 W. 16th in Hutchinson. Peaceful efforts were made to convince him to exit the residence. He told another individual in the house, “If I go outside, I’m going with a gun.” At least three larger caliber semiautomatic pistols were also inside the house with Jones. They included a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson, a 9 mm Sig Sauer, and a .45 caliber Taurus Millennium.

Another suspect in the earlier incident, Tyson Samuels, eventually came out of the residence and was taken into custody without incident. He told the arrest team, “You got to do something about Jones, he’s acting all kinds of crazy.”

Jones eventually opened the front door, walked outside, raised a .40 caliber handgun and fired multiple shots at officers. When Hutchinson police officers returned fire, Jones ducked back into the residence and continued firing shots from inside the home.

Jones later advised a negotiator he had been shot and requested help. He was ordered to drop any weapons and exit the residence. The number of times he was shot is difficult to calculate because of multiple grazing wounds. It is safe to assume he was shot at least eight times.

Schroeder says officers had a reasonable belief that the use of lethal force was necessary to protect themselves or others from great bodily injury or death. Their reactions were legally justified.