EXCLUSIVE: Five detained as tactical team serves search warrant

Posted: January 15, 2019 - 4:52 a.m.
Updated: January 15, 2019 - 3:16 p.m.

Police confirm five people were detained as the Shawnee Police Department's STAR Team served a search warrant at an eastern Shawnee house early Tuesday morning.

STAR stands for Special Tactics and Response according to the police department's website.

STAR Team members approach the front of the house just after midnight
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A man surrenders to police outside the house

Neighbors tell Operation 100 News that the house, 6809 Melrose Lane, is one that the police department is familiar with and a place where officers have recovered at least five stolen vehicles over the last three years.

Major Sam Larson says at around 7 p.m. a patrol officer checked a license plate of a vehicle parked at the address.

"The address that this vehicle was at, was an address we are familiar with in the 6800 block of Melrose," Maj. Larson said. "After an initial investigation, we decided to apply for a search warrant for the home as part of the investigation."

Operation 100 News arrived on the street shortly before 10 p.m. to find officers in defensive positions around the house and near police vehicles in the street. Officers waited outside with rifles and spotlights trained on the house. The Mercedes-Benz SUV still in the driveway with one door standing open.

Police maintained their positions until the STAR Team arrived in the department's Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) just after midnight. The team walked to the front door, where officers could be heard shouting "police, search warrant" and fists pounding on the front door.

Police shout into the house for anyone inside to come out

One of the men detained is walked to a waiting police vehicle

Major Larson says STAR Team members contacted five people at the house.

"One person was taken into custody on an outside warrant and the others were released," Maj. Larson said.

Officers remained on the scene until just after 2:30 a.m.

One of two police K-9s used to search inside the house

"The case will be reviewed by the Johnson County District Attorney's Office for potential charges," Maj. Larson said. "This is still an active investigation by our detectives and we cannot release any additional information on the case."

Larson says the stolen vehicle was recovered and will be returned to its owner.

The Shawnee Police Department's MRAP and a patrol vehicle behind
the Mercedes-Benz SUV which was reportedly stolen from Kansas City, Kansas

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Home invasion suspects run from Shawnee officers

Posted: November 15, 2014 - 11:20am
Updated: November 15, 2014 - 11:32am

Shawnee Police spent nearly six hours searching for suspects involved in a home invasion, which occurred in Independence, Missouri overnight. A vehicle taken during the home invasion was found in a Shawnee backyard.

File image of Shawnee Police vehicles
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Major Dan Tennis says Shawnee Police located the stolen vehicle in the 5200 block of Halsey Street around 4 a.m.

"While getting additional units to the scene, another vehicle left the area and two of the three occupants ran on foot from the vehicle," Tennis said in a news release late Saturday morning.

Operation 100 News was monitoring radio traffic and documented that officers called out a felony car stop at 4:50 a.m. near the intersection of 51st Street and Halsey Street. Seconds later an officer could be heard reporting a black male running eastbound behind the houses. See the tweet below this report.

By 5 a.m., officers had surrounded the neighborhood, in order to search for the suspects. Officers involved in the search were instructed to switch their radios to a county-wide tactical channel which utilizes full encryption and can only be monitored by police and fire personnel.

Tennis says, "a perimeter was established to try and locate the two that ran."

At least seven Shawnee police officers, four Lenexa officers, and two officers from Overland Park held a perimeter in the neighborhood for more than two hours. One of the Overland Park units was a K-9 unit, which conducted a search of the area, but was unable to locate anyone.

At 8:40 a.m., Major Tennis told Operation 100 News in an email that officers had contacted one person and were trying to find two more who may have left in another vehicle.

Shawnee Police also called out their Special Tactics And Response team, otherwise known as the STAR Team and a Shawnee K-9 unit. "They were called and then told to disregard. We called them until we figured out we did not have a couple of felons running from the car," Tennis told Operation 100 News.

The final officers returned to service shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday, as a tow truck was removing the stolen vehicle.

Tennis says, "Independence, Mo Police recovered the stolen auto for their case."

Shawnee Police have not released any other information.

Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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UPDATE: Search warrant served in shooting investigation

Posted: September 25, 2013 - 1:08am
Updated: September 25, 2013 - 3:25am

File image of a Shawnee Police patrol vehicle
Operation 100 News - Mike Frizzell

Shawnee Police continue to investigate after a man was shot Tuesday evening.

Police say they were called to an apartment in the Valencia Hills Apartments, 6515 Reeder Street, for a report of "shots fired" around 8:30 p.m..

Officers reported finding a male with a gunshot wound from an unknown caliber handgun.

Johnson County Med-Act transported the man to an area hospital. His injuries are said to be non-life threatening.

Police searched the area with a canine and were not able to locate a suspect. Officers say the suspect reportedly fled the area in an unknown make vehicle.

The suspect is described as a black male in his early 20's with dread locks, 5ft 5in tall and 145lbs. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and white shorts and a green and black ball cap.

Google Earth image of the Valencia Hills Apartments
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Shortly after 1:00 a.m., Shawnee Police activated their Special Tactics and Response (STAR) team and the mobile command post in the same area as the shooting. Officers continued to search the area for the suspect.

The search concluded around 4 a.m., with no arrests being made. The suspect remains at large this morning.

Major Bill Hisle says the STAR team was called in to help search the surrounding area for the suspect and to serve a search warrant related to the case.

A Tactical Medic from Johnson County Med-Act was on scene and working closely with the police department's team. A Med-Act ambulance was also standing by near the scene.

No injuries were reported in the overnight search.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call Shawnee Police at 913-631-2155 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

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Standoff comes to an end in Shawnee apartment complex

Posted: December 6, 2012 - 12:37am
Updated: December 6, 2012 - 2:37pm

File image of Shawnee Police Department STAR Team member

Shawnee Police called out their Special Tactics and Response (STAR) Team to assist with a situation at the Shawnee Station Apartments, late Thursday morning.

The apartments are on the northeast corner of W. 65th Street and Maurer Road.

Police were reportedly called to the area around 10:15 Thursday morning to check the welfare of a subject.

Around 11:30 a.m., Police could still be seen in the area of the apartment complex awaiting the arrival of the STAR Team.

Shortly after noon, Shawnee Police spokesperson Captain Dan Tennis told Operation 100 News, "there is currently an Operation 100 [situation involving a barricaded subject] going on at the Shawnee Station Apartments. There is a suicidal subject allegedly armed with a gun."

Johnson County Med-Act and Shawnee Fire were seen at the staging area near the Command Post.

Officials say the incident came to an end shortly after 2 p.m. when Police entered the apartment and found the man had taken his own life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, there is help available. Know the warning signs of suicide (SAVE.org Suicide Awareness Voices of Education). National and Kansas helplines. Calling 911 or going to the Emergency Room of a local hospital are also options.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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