Wednesday, May 23, 2012

A disgruntled man broke into WIBW-TV IN Topeka at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday and fought with employees before he was taken down.

The man called into the front lobby receptionist to be allowed access into the station. WIBW receptionist, Lynda Janes, asked the man to wait while she got News Director Jon Janes to talk with him.

The man told Jon Janes via a front lobby phone that he was upset by the way the VA was handling his case. Jon Janes explained to the man that he needs to discuss the issue with the VA and that WIBW couldn't help him at this time.

The man left the building. Janes says about 10 minutes later he came back, agitated, and threw a lamp through the glass front doors. Jon told Lynda Janes to alert other employees and get out of the front office area.

Several employees exited the building, while the man reportedly ran through the halls. "He told me to hit him," said Dylan Schoonover, who saw the man coming down a hallway near the newsroom. Schoonover slid out a side door unharmed and convened with other staff outside.

Master Control Operator Joe Garrett saw the man walk down a hallway after Lynda Janes ran by alerting everyone to the situation. "As I turned and came back into master control to call the 911 operator, I saw an African-American male, roughly 5'8", walk by master control with a black and green backpack slung over his shoulder."

A few moments later, Garrett watched on the security camera -still on the phone with 911- as several employees tackled the man near an east exit of the building. Someone noticed the suspect had pulled a knife. He stabbed Sales Manager Roger Brokke in the leg and also cut sales associate Greg Palmer in the leg.. Brokke was also bitten on the ear by the man.

About eight employees held the suspect down until police arrived. The man was heard yelling, "I'm going to f**kin' kill you all!"

Topeka Police arrested the suspect, who was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He has been identified as Ray Miles. TPD says he will be booked into the Department of Corrections after he is treated at the hospital.

Brokke and Palmer were taken by ambulance to be treated for minor injuries. Brokke said he was told he would need to get a tetanus shot.

Jon Janes says he has spoken with Miles once before, on March 22, when he came to the station to see about having a story done on the VA mistreating him. Janes also sent him away at that time and Miles became angry and left.

WIBW and KAKE are both owned by Gray Television.

KAKE's Deb Farris is heading to Topeka to follow this story. Watch for her reports on later KAKE Newscasts.