Shawnee Fire Department trains for mass casualty crash

Posted: October 29, 2018 - 9:35 p.m.

For three consecutive days last week, all 66 Shawnee Firefighters worked their way through a mock mass casualty crash. Each day the scenario involved a school bus, several vehicles, and volunteers playing the role of injured and hysterical people at the scene.

Shawnee firefighters peel back the roof of a vehicle to remove a dummy that was trapped in the simulated crash with a school bus.

Last Wednesday’s scenario involved 17 victims with varying levels of injury spread among three passenger vehicles and the school bus. 11 volunteers filled the school bus, which in the drill had been rear-ended in as part of a chain-reaction crash. One car was partially under the rear of the bus. A second car was on its roof and partly on top of the first car. A third car was rolled onto its side near the front of the bus and was blocking all access to the door of the bus.

Firefighters arrived on the scene of the simulation to find a school bus involved in a crash with three other vehicles and multiple victims trapped.

Firefighters had to use struts, straps, and large chains to stabilize all involved vehicles before they could begin the work of safely removing all of the injured. A firefighter and a Johnson County Med-Act paramedic were lifted through the emergency window of the bus to start evaluating injuries inside as other firefighters worked to cut a hole in the wall of the bus.

One-by-one the injured passengers of the bus were lifted off and then moved across the scene to Johnson County Med-Act’s triage area where their injuries would be evaluated further.

After all of the victims had been removed from the vehicles, firefighters and paramedics gathered to discuss the drill and assess their response and handling of the various aspects.

Shawnee Fire Battalion Chief Ryan Pyle addressed everyone who participated in the exercise after its conclusion.

Deputy Fire Chief Sal Scarpa told Operation 100 News this drill was the first time they had the opportunity to use a school bus.

“On a three or four vehicle crash we may see five or six people with injuries,” Scarpa said. “The school bus changes everything, and we have to be prepared for that.”

The school bus was donated to the department for use in the scenario by the Kincaid Group which operates school buses for the Shawnee Mission School District as DS Bus Lines. Several Kansas City area towing companies donated the passenger vehicles.

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Police from across Johnson County converge on Mission Hills after shots fired

Posted: August 18, 2018 - 11:43 a.m.

Prairie Village Police say they were called to 3000 block of West 69th Street at 3:33 Saturday morning on a report of a mental disturbance.

A Mission Police Officer armed with a rifle watches the area of Tomahawk Road and Mission Road early Saturday morning as officers search for a man with a gun.

Officers arrived and contacted a man who was armed with a handgun.

"The subject fired shots and fled the area on foot," Prairie Village Police Captain Byron Roberson said in a news release. "A perimeter was set up with the assistance of a number of outside agencies."

Officers from across Johnson County responded to the calls for assistance from the Prairie Village officers who had contacted the man.

Those officers surrounded the north side of the Indian Hills Golf Course and the Country Club at 6847 Tomahawk Road. Several employees were evacuated from the building and moved to a nearby parking lot, just outside of the search area.

A Leawood Police Officer escorts two employees from the Indian Hills Country Club to the edge of the search area.

Recorded radio traffic from the officers in the area indicated that officers continued to hear sporadic gunfire through the first two hours that they were searching for the man.

The Olathe Police Department sent their MRAP "rescue vehicle" to assist with the search. MRAP is short for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected.

The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department sent an armored vehicle with a small team of officers to assist, as did the Olathe and Overland Park Police Departments.
Lenexa Police and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office both sent officers with drones to search from above.

Police from as far away as Olathe sent officers to assist in surrounding the search area.

About 6:30 a.m., Prairie Village officers spotted the man going door-to-door along 69th Street, near where officers initially contacted him.

Police say he was then taken into custody without incident.

"The subject was transported to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation and pending charges through the Johnson County District Attorney's Office," Capt. Roberson said in the release.

More photos from this search can be found on the Operation 100 News Facebook page.

Check back 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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Two killed, seven others injured in crash with tree

Posted: April 9, 2017 - 8:31amUpdated: April 10, 2017 - 11:17am



Lenexa Police are investigating after an attempted traffic stop led to a crash that killed two teenagers and left seven others injured.

Master Police Officer Danny Chavez of the Lenexa Police department says, "at approximately 4:35 a.m. a Lenexa patrol officer observed a vehicle traveling in the 15700 block of West 87th Street with its lights off."

"The officer lost sight of the vehicle and turned off his emergency equipment, disregarding the traffic stop," Chavez said. "A short time later the officer came upon the vehicle which was wrecked into a tree at 80th Street and Maurer."

Recorded scanner audio indicates that the officer attempted to make a traffic stop a white Mitsubishi Galant near 85th Street and Maurer Road. The officer can be heard telling his dispatcher that the vehicle is "blacked out," or driving without any lights. The officer reported the Galant was driving "about 80" miles per hour.

Seconds later a supervisor can be heard asking the officer for an update on speeds, the officer replies, "I'm at 50, they're going about 90." 

The supervisor then tells the officer to "disregard." The officer found the car crashed with multiple people trapped inside less than a minute later.

The Lenexa Fire Department and Johnson County Med-Act responded to the scene and reported nine people were inside the car. Two were pronounced dead at the scene, three were transported to area hospitals in critical condition and four others had minor injuries.

Police have identified the deceased as Isaiah Stoble, 15, and Angelito X. Espinosa, 13, both of Kansas City, Kansas. Chavez says the other occupants of the vehicle are all between the ages of 13 and 15. All are believed to be from Kansas City, Kansas.

The Lenexa Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances and cause of Sunday's crash.

"This investigation involves the initial responding patrol officers, as well as detectives and traffic crash investigators," Chavez says. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and loved ones of the deceased, as well as to all others involved in this tragic situation."

Check back 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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Shawnee Police investigating possible drive-by shooting

Posted: April 17, 2016 - 6:38am
Update: April 18, 2016 - 2:09pm

Shawnee Police are investigating after someone fired shots at an occupied duplex early Sunday morning.

Police examine bullet holes in the siding of the building
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Police Sergeant Matt Seichepine checks his computer near the scene
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Officers were dispatched to the area of 49th Terrace and Nieman Road just after 2:30 a.m. on a report of possible gunshots heard in the area. According to radio traffic, the initial caller reported hearing what they believed to be five gunshots.

While checking the area officers contacted a man and woman in the 10900 block of West 49th Street.

A neighbor contacted Operation 100 News to report a duplex in that same area was hit by gunfire.

At the scene, Sergeant Matt Seichepine confirmed to Operation 100 News that officers are investigating "shots fired into an occupied dwelling."

Sgt. Seichepine said no one was injured and there is no suspect information to be released.


A man, woman, and two young children could be seen outside of the duplex as police examined bullet holes in the siding.

While on scene around 4:30 a.m., Operation 100 News and Shawnee Police heard a single gunshot to the north of the scene. The sound was followed by a siren in the same area. Sgt. Seichepine said the siren was not Shawnee Police and was possibly Kansas City, Kansas Police.

No other information has been released.

Two officers check for evidence in the street in front of the duplex
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On Monday, Major Dan Tennis said the Johnson County Crime Lab has not confirmed the caliber of the weapon used.

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

Check back 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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Olathe man identified as Double Nickel murder victim

Olathe Police and Johnson County Crime Scene vehicle near the scene
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Investigators stand outside the front doors of the bar
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Crime Scene technicians photograph evidence outside of the scene
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Posted: March 31, 2016 - 3:27am
Updated: March 31, 2016 - 3:24pm

Olathe Police are investigating after a man was shot to death inside a bar late Wednesday.

Sergeant Bryan Hill says police were called to the Double Nickel, 189 S. Rogers Road, at 11:39 p.m. on reports of shots fired.

"Officers arrived and found a 38-year-old man who was suffering a gunshot wound to the chest," Sgt. Hill said in a news briefing near the scene. "Despite their efforts, the person passed away here at the Double Nickel."

Police have identified the shooting victim as 38-year-old William Ray Schutkesting of Olathe, Kansas.

Witnesses told police that the suspect ran out of a back door after the shooting. An Olathe Police K-9 tracked down the 28-year-old male suspect across Interstate 35 from the bar, where he was taken into custody.

Police have identified the suspect as 28-year-old Michael Chinn of Augusta, Kansas. Chinn is being held at the New Century Adult Detention Center near Gardner, where he is awaiting his first court appearance.

Sgt. Hill says the shooting occurred inside the Double Nickel Bar & Grill and officers continue to interview witnesses. Officers are still investigating whether or not the victim knew the suspect.

Officers from the Lenexa Police Department, along with Deputies from the Johnson County Sheriff's Office assisted Olathe Police with holding a perimeter during the suspect search.

Police continue to investigate this homicide and are asking anyone with information to call the Olathe Police Department at 913-971-6950 or the TIPS hotline at 816-474-8477.

Check back 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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