The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office on Friday released a narrative of the events leading up to a fatal officer-involved shooting that happened Wednesday evening in north Wichita.
The man who was killed in the shooting was identified as 35-year-old Luis Rivera.
A statement released by the Sheriff’s Office described the incident:
At approximately 7:44 PM on March 6, 2024, Sedgwick County 911 received a call reporting someone was in a house pointing a gun at another person in the 2300 block of North Fairview. The suspect had left the residence prior to the officer’s arrival. Several Wichita Police Officers arrived in the area at approximately 7:54 PM and located a Hispanic male in the street holding a gun to his head.
Officers attempted to talk to the suspect and get him to put the gun down. The suspect walked away from the officers, going south on Fairview, still holding a gun to his head and yelling at the officers. Some officers followed the suspect on foot while others followed in police vehicles. A Crisis Negotiator was on scene and utilized the patrol car’s public address speaker to communicate with the suspect and ordered him to drop the gun.
The suspect walked west on 21st Street, continuing to hold the gun to his head and refusing to comply with the multiple requests to drop the gun. Other officers in the area attempted to divert traffic on 21st street to reduce the danger to the public, officers, and the suspect.
At approximately 8:04 PM a supervisor requested less lethal munitions. At approximately 8:06 PM, the suspect walked to a parking lot of a vacant building at 21st and Arkansas. An officer deployed a less lethal 40mm foam projectile, striking the suspect in the back in an attempt to have him comply. While the officer was announcing the deployment of the less lethal round the suspect stated he was going to make it lethal. The suspect turned toward the officers, leveling his gun toward the officers, and fired multiple rounds. Eight officers returned fire and struck the suspect multiple times.
Officers rendered aid to the suspect until the Wichita Fire Department and Sedgwick County EMS arrived on scene at approximately 8:14 PM. The suspect was pronounced dead on scene at approximately 8:21 PM.
The Sheriff’s Office also released a brief video clip from an officer’s body camera, showing Rivera holding a gun to his head.
No officers were injured in the incident. The Sheriff’s Office said when the investigation is complete, it will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
