A body camera image of a rifle recovered by Lawrence police after a man was seen approaching a group of people Sunday, Dec 22, 2024, in downtown Lawrence.

A man was arrested early Sunday morning after a police officer allegedly spotted him approaching a group of people in downtown Lawrence with a rifle before leading police on a short chase while driving on the sidewalk.

A Lawrence police sergeant saw the man carrying what appeared to be a long-barreled gun around 2 a.m. in the 800 block off Massachusetts Street, according to a post from the Lawrence Police Department on social media Sunday afternoon. The man was approaching a group of people at the intersection of Ninth and Massachusetts streets.

The officer yelled “police” and ordered the man to stop. The man then ran away on foot to a nearby car, dropping the weapon as he ran, according to the post. The man got into his vehicle, backed into a patrol vehicle and drove up onto the sidewalk on Massachusetts Street and crashed into a lamp post before getting away.

The car was later seen on Sixth Street exiting onto Kansas Highway 10, then to Interstate-70, but crashed while on the on-ramp. The man tried to escape again, but officers were able to detain him without further incident.

The suspect, Seth Austin Kenney, 25, of Topeka, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. He is being held without bond.