By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
The local Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW, Post 1432 received a bomb threat during its regular Bingo Night on Thursday, Dec. 28. Once Salina Police Department officers arrived on the scene, they determined there was no bomb on the premises.
SPD officers reported to VFW Post 1432 at 1108 W. Crawford St. just before 3 p.m. Thursday after 43-year-old Salinan Larry Smith, Jr. told VFW staff he had learned there was an explosive in the building.
"This was during Bingo, so there were numerous people at the building," said SPD Capt. James Feldman. "The workers were concerned and contacted us — no bomb, of course, was located."
According to Feldman, officers did not locate Smith on Thursday, but due to VFW staff descriptions, officers could identify him from previous interactions.
Around 6:30 a.m. the following morning on Friday, Dec. 29, Feldman said while officers arrived to work at SPD, they spotted Smith walking near West Elm Street.
"An officer was preparing for a shift when out back here at the police department, they observed him and made contact with him," Feldman said. "As they attempted to place him in custody for criminal threat, he took off running."
The officers pursued Smith, and when they caught up to arrest him, Smith struck an officer on the head in two places and bit another.
Officers arrested Smith after the short struggle and requested charges for criminal threat, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, simple battery on a law enforcement officer, and interference with law enforcement officers.