Law enforcement officials had their hands full in Argonia, Wednesday night, after a man threatened to blow up himself, his home and local police officers with a homemade cannon.
Argonia Police Chief Rebecca Mendoza, along with Kansas Highway Patrol troopers and Sumner County Sheriff’s deputies worked to clear a city block at around 9 p.m., after a call of suicide threat turned into a standoff.
“We had to evacuate a whole block. We could see someone through the window with what appeared to be a pipe bomb so we evacuated the house and those close to his house,” Mendoza said.
Residents near the home located at 121 W. Garfield were asked to leave their homes as law enforcement officers worked to secure the area.
“We could see him inside the home with something and we wanted to make sure it wasn’t something big,” Mendoza said. “We’d rather be safe than have the whole town blow up.”
The Southern Kansas SWAT team was called out to the home to help bring the man outside, but the man walked out on his own at around 9:28 p.m., Mendoza said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was called to the scene from Wichita to help go through the home to look for any other devices.
Mendoza later learned the man was threatening officers with a homemade cannon.
“It was made of solid brass,” Mendoza said. “He’s supposedly the same guy who made the cannon at the museum in Wellington.”
Jeff Owen, 54, of Argonia was arrested and charged with criminal threat and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is currently held in the Sumner County Jail on $25,000 bond.
Wellington, Kan. —
