Kansas Bureau of Investigation officials on Wednesday afternoon released the identity of the man who was shot and killed early Tuesday in a confrontation with police on Junction City’s west side.
The man, 23-year-old Peter James Robbins, was killed outside the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 1723 McFarland Road, authorities said.
Fort Riley officials said Robbins was a 1st Infantry Division soldier. Spc. Robbins was a field artillery Firefinder radar operator.
“The 1st (Battalion), 5th (Field Artillery Regiment), team is deeply saddened by the loss of Spc. Robbins,” said Lt. Col. Richard J. Ikena Jr., commander of the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment. “Our team is prepared to fully support Spc. Robbins’ family, teammates and friends through these challenging times.”
Junction City police contacted the KBI about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, to request assistance following the officer-involved shooting.
KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to the scene to conduct the investigation.
KBI spokeswoman Melissa Underwood said a preliminary investigation indicated officers from the Junction City Police Department were dispatched about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday to conduct a welfare check at a home on the west side of Junction City.
Soon after arriving at the residence, another call came in reporting an armed disturbance a few blocks away at the Walmart Neighborhood Market.
Officers from both the Junction City Police Department and Geary County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Walmart parking lot, Underwood said.
Upon their arrival, the officers located a man armed with two handguns on the sidewalk north of the parking lot. The man was given commands to drop his weapons, Underwood said.
After the confrontation escalated, four officers from the two agencies fired at the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during this incident.
The KBI is conducting what Underwood described as a “thorough and independent investigation” into the matter. Once completed, the findings will be turned over to the Geary County Attorney for review.
Fort Riley officials said Robbins, with a home of record of Albuquerque, N.M., joined the Army in February 2013 and arrived at Fort Riley in August 2013. He deployed to Iraq in June 2014 and to South Korea in October 2016, officials said.
By Phil Anderson
Copyright Topeka Capital Journal Aug 10, 2017
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