JEWELL COUNTY – Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) agents are investigating the shooting of two Jewell County sheriff’s deputies which occurred Tuesday morning at the Sheriff’s Office in Mankato, Kan.

Preliminary information indicates that on Aug. 28 at approximately 7:52 a.m., a male subject, identified as Jason L. Whitson, 40, of Mankato, entered the Sheriff’s Office. He walked up to the dispatch desk and requested to talk to a deputy. As a sheriff’s deputy approached to speak with him, Whitson fired multiple times through a door that led into the dispatch room. Two deputies were injured during the shooting. No law enforcement officers discharged their firearms.

Whitson then fled the Sheriff’s Office. Since he was recognized by personnel at the Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement immediately began to locate him and the vehicle they assumed he would be driving.

At approximately 8:45 a.m., a Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) trooper spotted Whitson’s vehicle and pursued him Eastbound on US-24 Highway. When the vehicle was just south of Minneapolis, Kan., an adult female and five minor children were allowed to exit. Whitson then continued onto US-81 Highway where law enforcement used a maneuver that forced the vehicle to stop.

Once the vehicle was stopped, KHP Troopers approached it and found him suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No law enforcement officers at this scene discharged their firearms.

EMS responded and transported Whitson to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Both Sheriff’s deputies are expected to recover from their injuries. One deputy has been released from a local hospital. The second deputy remains at a Salina hospital, but is out of surgery and is now in stable condition.

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JEWELL COUNTY —Following the shooting of 2 deputies at the Law enforcement center in Mankato, Kansas Highway Patrol began a search in surrounding counties for the suspect Jason Whitson, according to a statement from the KHP.

At 8:46 a.m. troopers encountered the suspect’s eastbound vehicle on U.S. 24 near Glasco. The suspect continued eastbound at approximately 70-miles per hour.

At 9:09 a.m. just south of Minneapolis, the suspect stopped the vehicle in the road and let out passengers and continued southbound on U.S. 81, according to the release.

At 9:11 a.m. a trooper conducted a tactical vehicle intervention on the suspect vehicle. The driver lost control of the vehicle and stopped on the roadway. Troopers located the suspect in the vehicle with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the release. He was transported to the hospital in Salina for treatment.

One deputy was expected to be released from the hospital after treatment. The other deputy was in surgery, according to a statement from the Jewell County Clerk’s office.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation.

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JEWELL COUNTY —The suspect wanted for shooting two deputies at the Jewell County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday is in custody and hospitalized in Salina with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

The suspect was taken into custody in Ottawa County.

I’m praying for a full recovery for the two Jewell County deputies shot in the line of duty earlier this morning. We appreciate the service rendered by all law enforcement officers, and thank them for their bravery. #ksleg

— Governor Jeff Colyer (@GovJeffColyer) August 28, 2018

Authorities have released few additional details.

The suspect identified as Jason Whitson allegedly shot two deputies at the Jewell County Sheriff’s office early Tuesday in the 300 Block of North Commercial in Mankato, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said Tuesday that both Saline County Sheriff’s deputies and Salina Police were prepared to keep Whitson from driving into Salina. Soldan said that Sheriff’s deputies were blocking exits at U.S. 81 and K 143 and at the intersection of Interstate 135 and Interstate 70. Salina Police covered the Ninth Street exit of Interstate 70 and the State Street and Crawford Street exits on Interstate 135.

“Our thoughts are with the deputies who were shot and the Jewell County Sheriff’s office,” Soldan added.

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JEWELL COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are searching for a man who allegedly shot two deputies at the Jewell County Sheriff’s office Tuesday morning in the 300 Block of North Commercial in Mankato, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The suspect identified as Jason Whitson, according to the KHP fled the shooting scene.

Whitson is described as bald, has multiple tattoos and was wearing a black hat and shirt. He may be driving a 2002 Ford Windstar with Kansas Tag 729 JFG. He is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him call 911.