One man has been arrested and two are still at large after what Emporia Police say are connected shooting and home invasion robbery incidents earlier this week, and officers are asking for help in finding those two suspects.
Capt. Dave DeVries says officers responded to Newman Regional Health shortly before 1 am Wednesday for a report of a gunshot wound. An 18-year-old man was interviewed before going to Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka for treatment of apparently non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers say the shooting happened near the intersection of Linn and Whildin. Current indications the incident is drug-related.
About 10 hours after the initial report, officers were dispatched to 9 South Rural for a reported home invasion robbery. DeVries says two people got inside and forced one person to give them cash after threatening that person with a pistol. Nobody was hurt.
DeVries says it appears the same suspects were involved in both incidents. One, 21-year-old Kenneth Hopkins, has been arrested and jailed. However, 24-year-old Lance Sutton and 24-year-old Marcos Diaz are both at large and considered armed and dangerous. Sutton is a black make, 6-foot-1, 170 pounds. Diaz is an Hispanic male, 5-foot-6, 160 pounds.
Photos are online at KVOE.com. Residents are encouraged not to approach Sutton or Diaz if seen. Instead, residents are urged to call 911.
Formal charges are pending against Hopkins. The investigation is ongoing. If you have information, call Emporia Police at 343-4200.
