VIDEO: Kansas Chief Credits Off-Duty Officer with Saving Lives By Shooting Gunman Inside Costco
Video: Kansas Chief Credits Off-Duty Officer with Saving Lives By Shooting Gunman Inside Costco
Howell identified himself to Costco employees, ran into the store as everyone was running out. He used “his tactical advantage,” Hongslo said, as he slipped in behind Hunt as he made his way to the back of the store.
December 15, 2017
1 min to read
As most everyone else fled a gunman in a Lenexa, KS, Costco, surveillance video released Thursday shows a swift-moving off-duty officer circling behind the man moments before the officer shot and killed the suspect.
Kansas City, KS, Police Captain Michael Howell, who happened to be shopping that Sunday morning, Nov. 26, is seen catlike with his gun out but concealed behind his right hip as he tracked 58-year-old Ronald O. Hunt, the Kansas City Star reports.
The officer did “everything right,” Lenexa Police Chief Thomas Hongslo said in a press conference Thursday.
Howell identified himself to Costco employees, ran into the store as everyone was running out. He used “his tactical advantage,” Hongslo said, as he slipped in behind Hunt as he made his way to the back of the store.
Hongslo said Capt. Howell identified himself, shouted at Hunt to drop his gun, and that Hunt refused and pointed his gun at Howell when Howell shot him.
“I think he (Hunt) was there to kill people,” Hongslo said. And Howell “potentially saved officers."
More Patrol
5.11 Debuts New Load-Bearing Gear at SHOT Show
5.11 launched a variety of new load-bearing gear, ranging from backpacks to chest packs, designed for training, travel, and everyday readiness, this week during SHOT Show 2026.
Read More →
Streamlight Launches the Rechargeable TLR-3X & Other Lights at SHOT Show
Streamlight launched the TLR-3X and TLR-3X USB, two new weapon lights, and an assortment of other new lights during SHOT Show 2026.
Read More →
EOTech & Fast Metal Introduce the EOTech Halen Ballistic Spectacle System
Built on the proven Halen platform, the new EOTech x Fast Metal Halen Ballistic Spectacle System is the only aluminum frame listed on the U.S. Army’s Authorized Protective Eyewear List.
Read More →
2 Florida Officers Shot After Shots-Fired Call
Two officers were shot in Gainesville, Florida, by a man who police say was leaving an area where he had killed a man inside a business. The suspect exited his vehicle in what the chief termed an “ambush-style” attack.
Read More →
Mistaken Identity: Ohio Police Department Harassed After ICE OIS
An Ohio police department has received harassing phone calls and social media messages because it has an officer with the same name as the ICE officer identified in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, officer-involved shooting.
Read More →
Top 10 POLICE Videos of 2025
What were the top videos published by POLICE in 2025? Many covered tactics and officer safety, while others came from booth visits at IACP in Denver, Colorado. In case you missed these, here are the top 10 videos.
Read More →
Flock Safety and Coreforce Partner to Enhance Real-Time Awareness and Operational Efficiency for Law Enforcement
A new integration partnership will enable Flock Safety hotlist alerts and license plate recognition (LPR) searches directly in Coreforce’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) platform.
Read More →
Ballistic Armor Co. Secures Strategic Investment to Expand U.S. Production Capabilities
Ballistic Armor Co. secured a new commitment that will accelerate its multi-year transition from a third-party tactical equipment retailer to a premium innovator and U.S. manufacturer of advanced protective systems.
Read More →
Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility
The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.
Read More →
Tips for Watching the Hands
How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.
Read More →