MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after a standoff at a Kansas home.
On Monday, police in Cherryvale asked the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department to assist with a situation involving 48-year-old Aaron E. Whittley, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.
Police had several encounters with Whittley over the past week including an encounter involving him entering into a convenience store and leaving without paying for some items.
While investigating the theft, police learned about several social media posts Whittley made throughout the day, threatening multiple people, and making homicidal/suicidal statements.
A police officer attempted to make contact with Whittley at his home in the 400 block of East 4th Street Cherryvale.
Whittley was at the residence the observed Whittley fire two shots in the air with a handgun then run into the residence. Due to the nature of this incident, the Montgomery County Emergency Response Team (SWAT) was activated and responded to the scene at 8:00pm and began the “armed and barricaded subject” procedure.
The Coffeyville Police Department SWAT team was requested to respond to the scene while the Kansas Bureau of Investigations SWAT team was placed on standby.
The SWAT teams worked together giving announcements over the loudspeaker for Whittley to come out of the residence peacefully. He did not comply.
The SWAT teams used less lethal gas munitions, robots, and drones to assist in receiving a response and locating where Whittley was inside of the residence.
After a couple of hours and no response from Whittley, the KBI SWAT team respond to the scene to assist. The KBI SWAT team was supported by the Pratt County Kansas Sheriff’s Office who brought additional tools and robots.
KBI SWAT continued announcements and deployed less lethal gas munitions into the residence all through the night in attempt for Whittley to comply.
Just before 8a.m. on Tuesday, the KBI SWAT team entered the residence and located Whittley inside of a bedroom. Whitley was responsive but appeared to be lethargic.
Whittley admitted to ingesting a large amount of sleeping aide medication at some point throughout the night.
The KBI took Whittley into custody without further incident and transported him to Labette Health ER in Independence, Kansas where he later was released and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections.
Montgomery County Detectives conducted a search of the residence and located what appeared to be explosives inside of the room where Whittley was located.
The Kansas Highway Patrol Bomb Squad determined that the explosives were Improvised Explosive Device’s. KHP Bomb squad took custody of the IED’s and began the procedure to disarm them.
Whittley is being held on requested charges of Criminal Threat. There will be additional charges from the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office, according to Wade.