Douglas County DA finds officer involved shooting was legally justified

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that Lawrence Police Department officers involved in the shooting death of Michael Scott Blanck at 1715 E. 21st Terrace on October 2, 2022, were justified in their actions.

“The death of Michael Blanck is a tragedy that had the potential to end much worse. We have met with Mr. Blanck’s family to express our condolences and to review my findings following the investigation conducted by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). The officers involved in this incident acted lawfully and were legally justified in their response to the actions taken by Mr. Blanck. The integrity of this investigation was important to all involved and our community and I would like to thank the KBI for its thoroughness and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for securing the scene following the incident.”

District Attorney Valdez’s report of the officer-involved shooting can be found at the link under "Related Documents" below.