STERLING, Kan. – Two Kansas law officers were shot on Monday evening in separate encounters. The person believed responsible for the shooting is presumably dead.
The first encounter occurred in Rice County, Kansas north of Sterling near the Sonic restaurant just after 5 p.m.
Police say the Rice County undersheriff tried to stop a car related to a warrant near the restaurant. That warrant was for the driver, David L. Madden, 37.
Within seconds of the stop, Undersheriff Chat Murphy radioed in that he had been shot, reported KWCH.
According to the KBI, The Rice County Undersheriff was shot this evening in his neck and was taken to a Wichita hospital. The Rice County Sheriff was also shot, but in his leg. pic.twitter.com/s12sduQnXu
— Tiffany Lane (@TiffanyNews3LV) April 30, 2019
EMS quickly responded and he was flown to Wichita hospital. He’s in critical but stable condition, being treated for four gunshot wounds. One round struck his neck, according to The Wichita Eagle.
An update from the KBI on the Officer-involved shooting in Rice County: The condition of the Undersheriff is critical, but stable. The condition of the Sheriff is good. They are both currently being treated in a Wichita hospital.
— Tiffany Lane (@TiffanyNews3LV) April 30, 2019
Shortly after the shooting, the Rice County Sheriff Bryant Evans responded to a home in Rice County near Raymond seeking the shooting suspect.
The KBI says in an updated release that the man suspected of shooting the two law enforcement officers is David L. Madden, age 37. pic.twitter.com/cP2tgNiYKw
— Tiffany Lane (@TiffanyNews3LV) April 30, 2019
The sheriff and a deputy located Madden and exchanged gunfire. As a result, Evans sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
Some of the agencies we see are the Sterling Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and others. pic.twitter.com/8f9bMeLjqz
— Tiffany Lane (@TiffanyNews3LV) April 30, 2019
Backup arrived shortly after and police surrounded the home while Sheriff Evans was transported to the hospital. He is in good condition and was released after overnight treatment.
More state troopers heading toward Raymond. @KSNNews pic.twitter.com/VaVWA39brN
— Michelle Ross (@Michelle_T_Ross) April 30, 2019
Large presence of law enforcement on ground and in sky between sterling and Alden. Stay with @KSNNews pic.twitter.com/nl41cn9C9Y
— Michelle Ross (@Michelle_T_Ross) April 30, 2019
Just before 2 a.m. Tuesday, law enforcement said they found two men dead inside the home where the standoff occurred. They have not yet publicly identified the bodies, but they did say the community is no longer at risk.
KBI Helicopter flying over Rice County pic.twitter.com/mT6n8s6KDA
— Michelle Ross (@Michelle_T_Ross) April 30, 2019
Madden has quite the background. Federal court documents show that his latest run in with police was in February, when he was found to be in possession of a machine gun that was not registered.
Back in 2017, he was involved in a vehicle pursuit and arrested after a standoff with police. A search warrant uncovered dozens of guns and pipe bombs on his property. That warrant says he was involved in an investigation in 2015 involving missing person Megan Fogelsong.