The Salina Police Department has released the name of the man who died after a barricaded incident at 133 South Chicago on Wednesday.
Kenney Lambert, Jr., 50, was found dead in the residence, Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus said this morning. An autopsy is being conducted today in Kansas City, Hanus said. According to Hanus, the autopsy was a necessary part of the investigation.
"The cause of death needs to be determined by a forensics doctor. We are not trained as forensics doctors," he said.
Hanus also said that additional charges have been requested for Danielle Reed, the 36-year-old woman who was in the residence with Lambert for much of the incident. Those requested charges include the following.
Felony obstruction
Possession of a stimulant
Possession of drug paraphernalia
Additionally, Reed was taken into custody once she exited the residence for an outstanding District Court felony warrant for a probation violation, according to a news release from the Salina Police Department (SPD) on Wednesday.
The incident began at 9:07 a.m. Wednesday when a Salina police officer observed a subject (Lambert) riding a bicycle on West Walnut Street near South Chicago Street, according to the SPD information. The officer knew Lambert had an active Saline County District Court felony burglary warrant and attempted to make contact with him.
According to the original SPD release, Lambert "attempted to evade the officer while still on his bicycle. The officer was able to determine that the subject had run into a residence located at 133 S. Chicago. While officers were outside waiting for backup, several individuals exited the home and stated there was a white male inside who had a gun in his mouth. An individual who exited the home advised that he knew the subject who had burst into his home, and he also confirmed that the subject was in possession of a handgun."
Officers on the scene also were advised that a female (Reed) was inside. Hanus said this morning that at that point the officers on scene were treating the incident as a hostage situation as they did not know whether Reed was being held against her will.
The two persons remaining in the residence were ordered to exit the residence, but did not respond, the news release stated.
At 10:06 a.m., the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiation Team were called out to attempt to resolve this incident involving a barricaded and armed suspect with a possible hostage, the SPD release stated. During a meeting with media Thursday, Salina Police Chief Brad Nelson said that the initial duty in such a situation is to isolate the suspect and protect those in the immediate area.
SWAT Team members train a minimum of 16 hours per month on various scenarios, including barricaded subject and hostage situations, he said.
"Thankfully they don't happen often in this community," Nelson said.
After continuous efforts were made to communicate with the occupants via a PA system from a patrol vehicle, a SWAT officer delivered a phone to the porch of the residence at 11:30 a.m. in an attempt to initiate communication, the initial release stated.
"More than one hour of on-and-off communications occurred between the female and the negotiators and it became clear the female was not being held against her will," the release noted.
During this time, Reed told police that "the male, who she identified by name, was suicidal and had a handgun. She also said several times that he intended to burn the house down if law enforcement personnel tried to make entry," the release stated.
Hanus said today that at no time during the incident did police negotiators speak with Lambert directly.
At 12:44 p.m., Reed agreed to exit the residence, and she confirmed that Lambert was the only person left inside and that he had a handgun, according to the SPD release.
At 12:57 p.m., SWAT officers injected four rounds of CS cold gas into the back of the residence in an effort to get Lambert to exit the residence, according to the release.
"This gas is delivered in a micro-powder form which is not considered flammable as it does not create heat," the release noted.
Approximately two minutes later, Lambert was observed in the front portion of the residence and within minutes, it was clear there was a fire in that same area, the release stated. Shortly after, officers reported hearing several gun shots from inside the rear of the home, Hanus said today.
The Salina Fire Department arrived on the scene at 1:04 p.m. and quickly extinguished the fire, according to the release. Lambert was found dead in the rear portion of the home, SPD information noted.
Hanus said this morning that at no time did officers fire shots during the incident. Additionally, no officers entered the residence prior to the fire and the gunshots being heard, he said.
The state fire marshal's office is investigating the cause of the fire, Hanus added.