A standoff in Kansas City, Kansas, ended Tuesday afternoon when law enforcement officers at the scene decided the risk of injury to bystanders outweighed serving an arrest warrant.
The standoff began around 8:20 a.m. with a man at 5701 Parallel Parkway refusing to come out of a house.
KCK Police Chief Terry Zeigler tweeted shortly before noon that his officers had come to the assistance of U.S. Marshals trying to serve a warrant to the man, who had failed to register as a sex offender.
Had a warrant for his arrest. When Marshal Service went to get him, he threatened them. We were asked for help. https://t.co/eWJ7NyDW07
— KCKPD (@KCKPDChief) August 16, 2016
The man was later identified as convicted sex offender and gospel singer Greg Andrews, whose yard is full of homemade signs accusing Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman of corruption.
Andrews’ wife and two of his sons were home at the time. Speaking through a bullhorn, Andrews and his wife Renee repeatedly stated their willingness to die if police didn’t leave. As the standoff dragged into the afternoon, a crowd gathered across Parallel Parkway.
Around 2 p.m., police commanders determined the best course of action would be to stand down.
“Martin Luther King, man, he was the king of peaceful public protest, and look how that ended for him,” Andrews shouted as people were allowed to cross the street to his lawn. “My family, I was fully prepared, and I’m still fully prepared, for it to end that way for me.”
Andrews claimed allegiance with the sovereign citizens movement and said he expected police to return for him “under the cover of darkness.”
Here is the statement from KCK Police:
On Tuesday, August 16, 2016, at approximately 0820 hours we responded to the 5700 block of Parallel Parkway to assist the U.S. Marshals who were attempting to serve an arrest warrant. We had been advised that the person being sought was refusing to come out of the house and making threats toward officers. For several hours we attempted to have an open dialogue with the individual and even attempted non forceful tactics to have them exit the residence. At approximately 1400 hours commanders on scene decided the severity of the warrants did not outweigh the possibility of injuring innocent residents or the public. The Police Department deescalated the situation and withdrew from the scene.
Warrants for a parole violation for aggravated indecent liberties with a child and two counts of failing to register as a sex offender are still active. Andrews says the charges against him are trumped up.
Elle Moxley is a reporter for KCUR. You can reach her on Twitter @ellemoxley.
