Man arrested, released after foot chase
Staff writer
A 20-year-old Marion man was arrested, then released Sunday night after a police chase involving Marion police, the county sheriff's office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and police from Peabody and Hillsboro.
Marion Police Chief Michel Soyez said a 911 hang-up call was received from someone in the 900 block of Melvin, and when an officer went to the scene, a man ran from him. The man was said by a witness to be contemplating suicide, and holding a handgun.
Officers set up a perimeter around the area, Soyez said, and tried to locate the man with tracking dogs. A homeowner in the area gave permission for police to search their property.
Then, someone called and said they had seen the man. After a short foot pursuit, he was subdued at Cedar and Highland, Soyez said.
The man was not armed when arrested, and did not indicate intent to harm himself, the police chief said.
The person who said the man had threatened to kill himself did not press a complaint against the man, Soyez said.
Police then allowed the man to return to his parents' home.
This morning, a .22-caliber handgun, not loaded, was found in a yard by a three-year-old boy. The youngster gave the weapon to a parent, Soyez said.
"There was no round in the chamber, no bullets in it at all," he added.
It was found in the area where the Sunday night incident occurred, he said.
Charges of endangerment of a child may be pending against the man, he said. The investigation is continuing.
