Gunman invaded chief judge's home, held him hostage for 6 hours before release, authorities say
The chief judge of Finney County, Kansas, was held hostage for nearly six hours at his own home by a gunman on Tuesday, before being released unharmed, authorities say.
The ordeal began for 25th Judicial District Chief Judge Wendel Wurst around 7 a.m. when Jason Nichols, 33, knocked on the door of the judge’s Garden City home, according to the Associated Press, KAKE and the Garden City Telegram.
After the door opened, the gunman ordered Wurst to the floor, where he bound the judge’s wrists, said police chief Michael Utz at a news conference. But he allowed the judge’s wife to use the bathroom, where she called police from her cellphone, and then allowed her to exit the home, Utz said.
A little after 12:30 p.m., Nichols surrendered and Wurst was released unharmed. Utz said Nichols may have been upset about an adverse ruling made by the 61-year-old judge in a child custody case.
In a written statement sent to judges throughout the state, Kansas Chief Justice Lawton Nuss said “This morning’s incident reminds us of the tremendous power and duty of a judge’s office and its inherent security risks. We are grateful for a positive ending to a terrible situation.”
Nichols is expected to face charges of kidnapping, terrorism, aggravated assault, aggravated burglary and criminal threat, according to the Telegram.
