Suspect in shooting death of Topeka police officer apprehended in Lawrence; second person wanted in case found overnight

Topeka Police Cpl. Jason Harwood

Shawnee County, Kan., Sheriff Herman Jones, left, answers questions from reporters about the shooting death of a Topeka police officer, as interim Police Chief Tony Kirk, right, watches, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Topeka, Kan. The officer, Cpl. Jason Harwood, 40 was shot during a car stop in east Topeka.

A suspect in the shooting death of a Topeka police officer was apprehended in Lawrence Sunday evening, and a second person who was wanted in the investigation was found overnight near Linwood.

Ross P. Lane, 30, has been named a suspect in a shooting that left a Topeka police officer dead Sunday afternoon. He was arrested in Lawrence on Sunday evening without incident, Shawnee County Sheriff Herman Jones said at a news conference Sunday night.

Randy Allen Ridens Jr., who was thought to be armed and in Douglas County on Sunday night, was wanted in the investigation. He was found overnight near Linwood. According to the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Ridens was taken into custody without incident and is in the Shawnee County Jail.

Topeka Police Cpl. Jason E. Harwood, 40, stopped a vehicle at Sixth Street and Deer Creek Parkway in East Topeka at around 4:45 p.m. Sunday. One or more occupants of the vehicle reportedly opened fire, striking Harwood. He was transported to Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka, where he was pronounced dead at around 5 p.m. The 15-year veteran of the force leaves behind a wife and two children.

Later in the evening, Lane notified law enforcement that he was in the Lawrence area and wanted to turn himself in. “He didn’t want any incident,” Jones said. Law enforcement officials apprehended him at around 8 p.m. before bringing him back to Shawnee County for questioning.

Law enforcement officials reportedly continued to search the Lawrence area Sunday evening for individuals involved in the case, though Jones wouldn’t confirm or deny those reports. However, he said local, state and federal law enforcement agencies were still investigating the incident, as there may have been multiple individuals in the vehicle that Harwood stopped.

“My heart goes out to the police department, the family of Harwood,” Jones said. “We are people who grieve like anyone else. Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.”