May 09, 2024

Domestic assault suspect fired at deputies near Kansas City

Posted May 09, 2024 9:00 PM
Photo Clay County Sheriff
Photo Clay County Sheriff

KANSAS CITY —An armed domestic violence suspect fired at members of the Sheriff’s Office’s Special Tactics and Response (STAR) team during a stand-off that began Tuesday night and stretched into Wednesday morning, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

No deputies were hit by the gunfire.

Just after 9 p.m. May 7, a woman reported a man had assaulted and shot at her in a home in the 700 block of Jessie Circle in Kearney.

She escaped to a neighbor’s house and called police. She was not struck by the gunfire. The suspect, later identified as 34-year-old Scott Blau was armed and refused to come out. Kearney Police requested the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office STAR Team.

The STAR Team and the Sheriff’s Office negotiators came to the scene. Negotiators spent several hours trying to make contact with Blau. They had information another person could be inside the house. Deputies eventually began deploying tactics to get the suspect to exit the home. They then heard multiple gunshots and saw glass broken out from where Blau had fired through a window at them.

Blau later came into the open garage with a gun in hand. When confronted by deputies, he dropped the gun after being struck by beanbag rounds. After a brief struggle, deputies were able to get him into custody at about 3:30 a.m. May 9. A search of the house revealed no one else was inside.

Blau was transported to the hospital to be checked out before being booked into the Clay County Detention Center on requested charges of domestic assault, two counts of armed criminal action, assault on a law enforcement officer and other weapons violations. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.