Man killed by officers in Lawrence now linked to 2 Nebraska deaths

photo by: Omaha Crime Stoppers/Contributed Photo; Mackenzie Clark/Journal-World Photo

Pictured at left is Nicholas Hirsh, 31, of Nebraska. At right, law enforcement vehicles and police tape surround the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 19th and Massachusetts streets on Monday, June 15, 2020. The suspect, Hirsh, had been driving the red sedan seen here behind the fire hydrant.

OMAHA, NEB. — A man who was shot and killed by Kansas law enforcement has also now been tied to a second homicide in Nebraska, police said Friday.

Police identified the man killed Monday in Lawrence as 31-year-old Nicholas Hirsh, who faced a first-degree murder arrest warrant for the shooting death of John Miles, 41, of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

During their homicide investigation, detectives also discovered on Tuesday the body of John Clanton, 68, in the Ponca Hills area of Douglas County in Nebraska. Clanton had been reported missing on June 10.

The Omaha Police Department said in a news release that after witness interviews and investigation, detectives determined Hirsh was also responsible for Clanton’s death. They are not looking for any additional suspects in relation to these homicides.

Authorities have said they believed Hirsh had been in Kansas since June 12 when a car was stolen from Clay Center. The Marshals Service was helping to look for the vehicle when the Kansas Highway Patrol spotted it near Perry Lake in northeast Kansas.

Troopers pursued the vehicle into Lawrence, where gunfire was exchanged gunfire between the suspect and law enforcement officers. Hirsh was killed.


Related stories

June 16 — Suspect shot by law enforcement in Lawrence Monday was wanted in connection with Omaha homicide

June 15 — Police shoot, kill man wanted by U.S. Marshals after chase into Lawrence

COMMENTS

Welcome to the new LJWorld.com. Our old commenting system has been replaced with Facebook Comments. There is no longer a separate username and password login step. If you are already signed into Facebook within your browser, you will be able to comment. If you do not have a Facebook account and do not wish to create one, you will not be able to comment on stories.