27 June 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A jail official announced that the suspect at the center of a downtown Topeka shooting with police and a south Topeka killing is dead.
Tim Phelps with the Shawnee County Department of Corrections said in a press release that Eric D. Perkins was declared dead at a local hospital from an apparent suicide attempt on Saturday, June 24, 2023. The death is under investigation by the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Phelps said Perkins was being held at the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the following charges:
1st degree murder
Aggravated kidnapping
Aggravated assault of LEO
Criminal discharge of a firearm
Phelps said at 4:50 p.m. on June 24 a medical emergency was called for Perkins’ module inside the Adult Detention Center. Perkins was found unresponsive after an apparent suicide attempt. Security and nursing staff attempted to stabilize Perkins while waiting for emergency services which arrived at 4:57 p.m. and began lifesaving efforts. Perkins was taken to a local hospital at 5:13 p.m. and was later declared dead at 7:20 p.m.
At 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 29, law enforcement responded to the 3000 block of SW Kerry after receiving a report of a shooting. Officers with the Topeka Police Department (TPD) found Gregory Butts laying in the yard of the residence suffering from gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.
A female was found inside the residence suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to a local hospital where she received treatment.
Officers were told the suspect fled the area with a female in a silver Toyota Corolla after shooting at neighbors that saw the incident. The suspect was later spotted at 10:44 a.m. at the intersection of SE Irvingham and SE Girard. An officer tried to stop the vehicle but the driver fled.
During the pursuit, the driver of the vehicle began shooting at officers. The pursuit ended on Sixth Street between Kansas Avenue and Quincy Street when the Corolla became disabled. Law enforcement identified the suspect as Perkins and took him into custody. Eyewitnesses caught the moment when police surrounded the vehicle in the downtown area:
Perkins was suffering from numerous gunshot wounds taken during the exchange of gunfire with police and was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The female in his vehicle also suffered a gunshot wound and one police officer was hit with gunfire but later recovered.
The TPD, SNSO and the Kansas Highway Patrol participated in the pursuit. The KBI responded to the incident and began to investigate the pursuit between Perkins and law enforcement.
The TPD presented their case to the DA’s office and, on Oct. 10, charges were filed in by the DA’s office. Kagay later ruled police as justified in the shooting on Dec. 2, 2022. Probable cause was found to support charges filed against Perkins pending a trial on June 5, 2023.