Man charged with multiple felonies after alleged Wal-Mart shoplifting leads to weapons standoff with police

A 27-year-old transient man was charged Monday with aggravated assault, theft and two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer after an alleged shoplifting attempt at a Lawrence Wal-Mart ended in an armed standoff with police.

Joshua Kane Matthews was booked into the Douglas County Jail shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday after Lawrence police responded to a report of a disturbance with weapons at Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa St., Lawrence police spokesman Sgt. Trent McKinley said.

Upon arrival at the store, officers learned that Matthews had allegedly stolen a hat from Wal-Mart and “displayed a knife in a threatening manner” to three employees who confronted him as Matthews exited the store, McKinley said.

Matthews then left Wal-Mart, walking toward 33rd Street, where officers found him near a bus stop with the knife, McKinley said.

While attempting to initiate an arrest, the first officer to the scene drew his handgun and ordered Matthews to “drop the knife,” McKinley said. However, the suspect refused, McKinley said, telling the officer to “shoot (him.)”

A second officer arrived and assisted in ordering Matthews to drop the weapon, McKinley said. When a third officer arrived, Matthews “briefly became distracted,” allowing one of the officers to put away his gun and bring out his Taser, McKinley said.

When the officer deployed the Taser, striking Matthews in the back, Matthews dropped the knife and fell to the ground, McKinley said. The officers then handcuffed Matthews and took him to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he was checked for injuries. He was then taken to jail.

McKinley said Matthews was uninjured in the incident, “other than the discomfort of the Taser.”

At Matthews’ first court appearance on the charges Monday, Douglas County Judge Pro Tem James George set Matthews’ bond at $30,000. Matthews is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.

Matthews’ booking photo was not available from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Monday.