Man shot by police during Sunday dispute in serious condition

Zach Ortiz, the 24-year-old Lawrence man shot during an altercation with Lawrence Police early Sunday, is in serious condition, a Kansas University Hospital spokeswoman said Monday.

Lawrence police reported that an officer shot an armed man during a disturbance at a home in the 1100 block of Kasold Drive after 12:30 a.m., Sunday.

According to Sgt. Trent McKinley, a Lawrence Police spokesman, a caller reported shots fired near the intersection of Harvard Road and Kasold Drive. Upon arrival, the officer was directed to 1103 Kasold Drive, and encountered those inside the home, one of them armed. During the encounter, McKinley said in a news release Sunday, the officer shot the armed man. A second officer arrived soon after the incident. Neither officer was injured and both were placed on paid administrative leave, which is the department’s policy.

According to Douglas County property tax filings, the owner of the home is Edward Ortiz.

Matt Gutierreze, a manager at Car Toyz, 1502 W. 23rd St., said Zach Ortiz had just begun working at the vehicle accessory store days before Sunday’s dispute. Gutierrez said Ortiz was a customer for awhile before being hired and was still in training at the time of his shooting. He said a KU Hospital official called after the shooting to inform him that Ortiz “wouldn’t be in for awhile.”

McKinley said police finished processing the scene Sunday evening. Police are not yet releasing details about the shooting, including identities of those involved and what caused the officer to shoot. Details about what was going on at the home and how many shots were fired also cannot be released yet, McKinley said.

“There is still much work to be done before conclusions can be reached,” he said Monday.

Sunday’s officer-involved shooting was the first in Lawrence since 2006, when 36-year-old Marsha Mace was fatally shot at a mobile home after she fired at two officers in what police called an attempt to get the officers to shoot and kill her.