Deadly police shooting in Lawrence neighborhood panics residents

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Residents in one Lawrence neighborhood had a scary ending to their weekend after a deadly police shooting. 

It happened just before 7:30 p.m. Sunday near 21st Terrace and Harper Street.

“We heard actually like, ‘Pop pop pop pop pop!’ and I jumped up and said, ‘Oh what’s going on,'” said Robert Byers, who lives just three doors down from the shooting.

It was moments of terror for Byers, who’s called this neighborhood home for over three decades.

“You could see four police officers with a gun drawn. You could see the lights flashing looked over to this side and K9 officer with his dog,” Byers said.

Larry Adams, who’s lived here for more than 20 years, relived the same chaotic moments just as he sat down to watch the football game.

“The next thing you know, I heard several shots and then there was a lot of sirens,” Adams said.

Police were called to the home for a criminal damage report around 5:30 p.m. Sunday. The department said they were investigating until around 7:20 p.m. when the suspect walked out of this house and pointed a gun at officers.  

Three responding officers fired their weapons, and the man at the center of this, 43-year-old Michael Blanck, died at the scene.

Neighbors told FOX4 that in the days prior to the shooting, police had been at the home multiple times.

“It’s rare to even see the police here in the neighborhood,” said Adams.

Byers talked with the family of the man involved and called what went down tragic.

“As I told them last night, I feel for them. I know it’s hard to lose a family member, and it’s double hard when there’s nothing you can really do to save them,” Byers said.

Whenever a Lawrence police officer fires his or her gun, the Kansas Bureau of Investigations takes over.  

Once KBI’s investigation is complete, they will turn their findings over to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for any potential charges.