20 March 2024
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSNW) — An Arkansas City police officer has received a Medal of Valor from the department.
Lieutenant Detective Jason Legleiter received the award from Police Chief Jim Holloway at Tuesday’s Arkansas City Commission meeting. The award was presented to Lt. Legleiter for responding to a standoff situation that began with a shooting on April 22, 2023.
It began near 111th Road and 72nd Road northeast of Winfield when a woman reportedly got out of a vehicle and fired a shot at another vehicle that was behind them. The vehicle was later found parked outside a home in the 1300 block of North A Street in Arkansas City.
“Lt. Det. Legleiter arrived first on the scene. He quickly located a female armed with a pistol, a machete, and, at one point, a hammer. Lt. Det. Legleiter approached her and initiated a conversation to resolve this volatile situation quickly and peacefully. The female was swinging the weapons around and making various threats as she pointed the pistol at Lt. Det. Legleiter,” said Chief Holloway. “Lt. Det. Legleiter later stated that he felt he was going to be shot or would have been forced to shoot the female, but he stood firm and attempted to talk her down.”
The department says he was unsuccessful, so he retreated and coordinated setting up a perimeter and the emergency response. The two women involved were taken into custody without anyone being hurt.
“On behalf of the Arkansas City Police Department, I sincerely thank Lt. Det. Jason Legleiter,” said Holloway. “We owe him a debt of gratitude for his courageous and outstanding bravery in serving the citizens of Arkansas City.”