City of Wichita officials held a news conference at 8:30 a.m. today regarding an early Monday morning vandalism incident at City Hall, 455 N. Main. The incident involved a motorist who drove a vehicle through the first floor of City Hall, causing significant damage to the security area and glass doors on the east and west side of the building. No one was injured.
Wichita Police arrested a suspect, Marcus L. Johnson, 31, who resides at 1509 S. Bleckley. He was charged with evading and eluding police, reckless driving and destruction of property. He surrendered inside the City Hall parking garage after entering the building through the east-side glass doors and emerging from a Lincoln Town Car.
The incident damaged property and equipment that was part of up to $8 million in security enhancements to be completed in three phases. The phases focused on 1) security screening in the atrium area, 2) a first-floor remodel that included additional security surveillance and 3) exterior campus security. Construction of the exterior security is scheduled to begin this summer after design work is completed. The exterior barriers are designed to help prevent the kind of incidents that occurred on Monday morning.
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, Interim City Manager Ed Flentje, Deputy Chief Tom Stolz and Public Works Director Chris Carrier attended the news conference. City Hall was open normal business hours.
City Hall Vandalism Incident Timeline
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At about 12:15 a.m, an officer on routine patrol confronts person at QuikTrip, 5602 E. Harry. Person’s vehicle is at gas pumps, unoccupied, with loud music blaring. The officer instructs person to turn radio down. He argues with officer and she advises him to leave. As person is getting ready to drive out he comments that he is going to drive his car “into City Hall” – he leaves northbound on Edgemoor. Officer gets in her vehicle and attempts to follow him but loses him in the area of Kellogg and Edgemoor. She goes back to the QT at 5602 E. Harry and contacts 911 dispatch to provide a description of the vehicle and person.
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At about 12:35 a.m., a different officer spots the car and suspect at the QT located at 1010 E. Douglas and attempts to stop the vehicle. Suspect vehicle speeds off northbound on Washington with officer in pursuit. Suspect vehicle drives westbound on Central, then turns southbound on Main.
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At about 12:37, the vehicle turns westbound onto City Hall property and crashes through the east doors of City Hall, drives through the first floor between the elevators and exits out of the west doors. Suspect then surrenders to officers in parking garage of City Hall.
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