KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez announced Thursday an October shooting involving Lawrence police was justified.
Officers were called around 5:30 p.m. Oct. 2 to 1715 E. 21st Terrace in Lawrence on reports of criminal damage to property.
Court records show Michael Blanck, 43, who had an “established criminal history,” had unlawfully been at the residence, owned by his father, for days prior to Oct. 2.
His family had concerns for his mental health, and bond restrictions in two pending cases “prohibited him from having contact with members of his family.”
When officers arrived at the residence, they did not see physical evidence of Blanck’s presence.
Later, officers made contact with Blanck on the front lawn. Court documents say Blanck came outside and “pulled out a handgun, pointed it at an officer directly in front of him and officers fired multiple rounds.”
Blanck was pronounced deceased at the scene, and an investigation into the incident by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, began.
The investigation concluded the officer was justified in shooting Blanck due to Kansas law permitting a “person may employ deadly force when the person reasonably believes that deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent risk of great bodily harm to himself or another.”
The “stand your ground” law protects a third party from prosecution when acting in defense.
“The officers involved in this incident acted lawfully and were legally justified in their response to the actions taken by Mr. Blanck,” Valdez said in a statement. “The integrity of this investigation was important to all involved and our community and I would like to thank the KBI for its thoroughness and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for securing the scene following the incident.”
Valdez released a full report, which can be viewed here, on what she calls a “tragedy that had the potential to end much worse.”
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