Alleged shoplifter arrested after barricading himself in Cosentino’s in downtown KC
Kansas City police temporarily shut down the area near 13th and Main streets after a man suspected of shoplifting at Cosentino’s Downtown Market barricaded himself inside the store Wednesday morning, a police spokesperson said.
The standoff began about 9 a.m. when an officer working off-duty security observed a man allegedly trying to shoplift, said Officer Alayna Gonzalez with the Kansas City Police Department.
When the officer intervened, the man allegedly threatened the officer with a sharp object. The officer backed away and called for additional officers to help, Gonzalez said.
The man allegedly barricaded himself inside of the entrance of the store and refused to exit. He allegedly continued to make threatening statements to people nearby, Gonzalez said.
As backup arrived, officers assisted shoppers out of the store. Meanwhile, other officers tried to de-escalate the standoff by backing away, utilizing facets of the de-escalation training they’ve received over the past year. They surrounded the business to prevent the man from escaping and to protect nearby businesses, Gonzalez said.
Police then initiated an Operation 100, a tactical measure used in a standoff that brings additional resources and negotiators to the scene.
Negotiators worked to get the man to surrender to police. Negotiations, however, were unsuccessful, and officers used what they called “less-lethal options” to take the man into custody shortly before 10:30 a.m., Gonzalez said.
The man was taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation. The police department’s crisis intervention team also responded to assist with possible mental health issues.
