Sheriff seeks public’s assistance to identify early morning shooter
Early Sunday morning, several local law enforcement officers were met with gunfire when responding to an emergency call about gunshots northwest of Burlingame, but a suspect was not located after the incident.
Sheriff Chris Wells issued a press release Sunday calling for the public’s assistance in the incident that occurred early Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, and in which no suspect had been identified. The report said the Osage County communications center had received a 911 call around 1:03 a.m. reporting shots had been fired at a vehicle that had stopped at 165th Street and South Osage Road, northwest of Burlingame.
Sheriff’s deputies and a Burlingame police officer responded to the scene. While searching the area, several more shots were fired toward law enforcement. A Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter and an Osage County K-9 unit responded to the scene to assist. After an extensive search, whoever was responsible for the gunfire was not located.
The sheriff asks anyone with information about this incident or other crimes to contact the Osage County Sheriff’s Office at 785-828-3121 or tips@oscosheriff.org, or to remain anonymous, contact Osage County Crime Stoppers at 877-OSCRIME.
Sheriff’s arrest reports
The Osage County Sheriff’s Office has reported a recent arrest resulting from an ongoing investigation of online solicitation of a child by an adult. On Oct. 26, 2021, Osage County investigators and Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Marcus L. Smith, 39, of Effingham, in Ozawkie, Kan., on an Osage County arrest warrant. Smith was transported to the Osage County Jail, where he was held on the warrant that alleged charges of electronic solicitation and indecent solicitation of a minor. The Osage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
At 2:08 p.m. Nov. 1, 2021, an Osage County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 100 block of North Fifth Street, Quenemo, Kan., for a traffic violation. During the stop, narcotics were located. The driver of the vehicle, Michael E. Traver, 42, Quenemo, was arrested on charges of suspicion of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, and booked into the Osage County Jail.
