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7/25/2010

Salina Journal

Salina police strung crime scene tape around the playground at Sunset Park on Sunday evening and were seeking a suspect in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred near the playground.

Salina Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield said the victim, whose covered body lay in the street south of the playground, was a male, and police were investigating his death as a homicide.

An alert put out over the police scanner shortly after the shooting said the suspect was believed to be armed with a pistol and may be headed to Texas.

The shooting occurred at about 7:40 p.m. on a cool Sunday evening that had brought many adults and children to the park. Witnesses said a large party had been going on in the shelter near the park entrance when the shooting occurred, and there were children on the playground at the time.

About an hour after the shooting, all available police officers were called to Sunset Park to disperse the crowd. 

Officers, who were confronted by distraught family members of the victim and others who appeared ready to fight, yelled at the people gathered that they would be arrested for unlawful assembly if they did not leave the area.