Suspect accused of shooting, seriously injuring police officer is arrested after manhunt

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - Police say a “dangerous fugitive” who shot a Missouri police officer multiple times while responding to a domestic disturbance call has been arrested after a brief manhunt.

A Blue Alert was issued across several counties in Missouri and Kansas as law enforcement officials searched for 27-year-old Thomas Eugene Tolbert. He is accused of shooting and seriously injuring a Lee’s Summit police officer late Sunday night, KCTV reports.

A Blue Alert is a public notification system designed to quickly distribute information about violent offenders who have killed, seriously injured or pose an imminent threat to law enforcement.

Tolbert was found and arrested in Ellis County, Kansas on Tuesday.

Tolbert faces several charges including first-degree armed assault, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest/detention/stop by fleeing and second-degree domestic assault.

According to police, officers were dispatched to the Residences at Echelon apartment complex on reports of a domestic disturbance around 11:00 p.m. Sunday in Lee’s Summit.

Police reported that as the first officers arrived, they saw a man running from the complex parking lot. An officer, who has not been identified, chased him on foot and quickly radioed that shots had been fired.

The officer was reportedly shot multiple times and did not fire his weapon. Police say one of the four rounds fired by the shooter hit the officer’s bulletproof vest over his heart. They say that vest likely saved the officer’s life.

The officer was taken to an area trauma center with serious injuries that are not expected to be life-threatening. He is making improvements after undergoing surgery Monday morning, according to Lee’s Summit Police Sgt. Chris Depue.

While searching for Tolbert, police say his vehicle was later found in Grandview, Missouri but he was not inside.

Law enforcement officials were notified early Tuesday that Tolbert might be in an Ellis hotel. Ellis, Kansas, is about 300 miles west of Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

The Hays Police Department, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, and Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to the hotel and were able to take him into custody safely around 4:50 a.m.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol noted that Tolbert has a history of aggravated assault and shooting at law enforcement.

Lee’s Summit Police Sgt. Chris Depue says there hasn’t been an officer from their department shot in the line of duty in over 30 years. He got emotional talking about it.

“This time it feels really personal. As big of a department as we are, it’s still a family,” said Depue as he choked up. “We sent a lot of guys home this morning that were heavy. A lot of guys didn’t want to go home. They said we are going to work until this is done.”

Local nonprofit Answering the Call, founded by a former Lee’s Summit police officer, is providing financial assistance to the family of the injured officer through its foundation.

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