Witness shoots at masked suspect fleeing possible arson incident at Overland Park home

Police are investigating after a man told officers he shot at a person he found suspicious near a house fire in Overland Park early Friday morning.

Crews from the Overland Park Fire Department responded before 4 a.m. to a home near the 15700 block of Outlook Street and extinguished a small fire in the home.

Residents of the home, in a neighborhood across the street from Blue Valley High School, heard the sound of glass breaking and smelled smoke before calling the police, said John Lacy, a spokesman with Overland Park Police Department.

Two adults and two children who were inside the home were not injured, Lacy said.

Several neighbors also called police about the sound of gunfire in the area.

Officers responded to the scene and spoke with a witness who said they saw a white compact car parked in front of their residence. They saw the driver exit the vehicle and walk toward the backyard of a home. He then heard glass break and saw a flame in the house, he told officers.

The witness then saw the suspect running back toward their car wearing a mask. The witness told officers he pointed his gun at the suspect and told him to stop, but the suspect got in their vehicle and fled the scene west on 158th Terrace.

The witness allegedly told officers he fired several rounds at the car as it drove away. Lacy said officers canvassed the area and did not observe any damage to homes or other property from the gunfire.

It is unknown if the suspect vehicle was hit by the gunfire, Lacy said.

Police are investigating the fire as a possible case of arson. Capt. Zach Stephens with the Overland Park Police Department said the witness who fired at the suspect was not taken into custody. Police did not say if charges will be pursued against the witness.

Lacy said he encourages people to report suspicious activity by calling 911, but advised the public against taking matters into their own hands by firing a weapon in an open area where errant bullets can hurt others.

“Give us intimate detail of what the person is wearing, the location, and if it’s a vehicle, get a license tag, make and model,” Lacy said. “Be a trained observant is what we want the public to do.”