Two people have been arrested following a list of alleged criminal activity which led to the lock-down of Hobby Lobby Wednesday.
According to the Emporia Police Department 18-year-old Jennifer Guerrero and 24-year-old Jose Omar Avelar Martinez, both of Guymon, Oklahoma, were apprehended by the Kansas Highway Patrol driving a Black Chevrolet Silverado shortly after 5 pm Wednesday at the intersection of Kansas Highway 99 and US Highway 54 in Greenwood County. According to police the two individuals stayed at the Candlewood Suites in Emporia Tuesday evening.
After checking out of the hotel Wednesday morning the couple returned to the hotel claiming to have left an item, which Candlewood management reported to be prescription medication, in their hotel room. After a brief search the item was located.
Following the events at Candlewood Suites, two housekeepers reported being followed by Guerrero and Martinez. Candlewood General Manager Curtis Bryan details the events which followed.
Both women were unharmed after the crash and according to the press release sought refuge inside of Hobby Lobby. Both women reportedly yelled to other citizen’s in the parking lot, “He’s got a gun” which led to a report of an active shooter. Upon hearing the reports and seeing individuals flee into the store, Hobby Lobby staff then locked the store down.
Emporia Police report their investigation has not proven if there were any actual shots fired during the incident. During a search of the suspect vehicle, authorities discovered a handgun, ammunition and illegal drugs inside.
Martinez and Guerrero have been booked into the Lyon County jail on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, possession of depressants with intent to sell and felony possession of drug paraphernalia. Martinez was also booked on suspicion of charges including felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated assault, and aggravated criminal threat.
The incident also led to lock-downs at Emporia High School, Emporia Middle School and Timmerman Elementary School. Formal charges are currently pending.
Wednesday 6 pm: UPDATE: Suspects connected to Hobby Lobby incident apprehended in Greenwood county
Two suspects connected to the incident which unfolded in West Emporia Wednesday afternoon have been apprehended near Eureka.
According to Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Rick Wingate, the KHP intercepted a black Chevy Silverado believed to be connected to the incident at the Hobby Lobby parking lot Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of Kansas Highway 99 and US Highway 54 sometime after 5 pm Wednesday. The individuals apprehended have been brought back to Emporia for questioning but have not been formally placed under arrest at last word.
The names of the individuals have yet to be released.
Wednesday’s events reportedly developed after a dispute which began at Candlewood Suites earlier in the day. Candlewood General Manager Kurtis Bryan tells KVOE News a couple staying at the hotel had checked out around 11 am and returned shortly after 2:30 pm saying they thought they had left their prescription medication in their room. After searching for a short time the medicine was found.
Bryan recounts the events that followed the initial dispute.
Bryan says the housekeepers were shaken up after the incident but were not injured. The Hobby Lobby Parking lot was closed off to traffic for close to two hours as police investigated the incident.
Emporia High School, Emporia Middle School and Timmerman Elementary were briefly placed on lockdown as the situation unfolded. Emporia Police later issued a statement on both their twitter and facebook pages saying, “the incident at Hobby Lobby was not an active shooting incident, there were no injuries. Please be patient as we compile the facts and further information will follow.”
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates as they become available.
Wednesday 4:13 pm: UPDATE: Details released surrounding incident at Hobby Lobby Wednesday afternoon
Details are developing following an incident in west Emporia Wednesday afternoon.
According to management at Candlewood Suites, a couple staying at the hotel had checked out around 11 am and returned shortly after 2:30 saying they thought they had left their prescription in the room. After searching for a short time the medicine was found.
After this, a pair of housekeepers were leaving Candlewood Suites and reported being followed by the couple from earlier. The housekeepers report the couple then ran them off the road where they crashed near Hobby Lobby.
No injuries were reported, law enforcement were seeking the male. Emporia Police issued a statement on both their twitter and facebook pages, “the incident at Hobby Lobby was not an active shooting incident, there were no injuries. Please be patient as we compile the facts and further information will follow. Hobby Lobby will be open for regular business shortly.”
3:30 Wednesday Active investigation underway in west Emporia, details pending
Details are currently pending as an active investigation is currently underway in west Emporia.
Local law enforcement have blocked off both entrances to the parking lot of Hobby Lobby at 2730 W. 24th Ave. Little information is currently known, however, this is being treated as an active investigation.
Emporia High School, Emporia Middle School and Timmerman Elementary have now had lockdowns lifted.
Police are asking that people avoid the area due to safety concerns.
Officers from the Emporia Police Department and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office have marked the area off as a crime scene. We will have more information as it becomes available on KVOE and KVOE.com.
