Three Federal Agents Shot in Kansas, Unidentified Body Found at Crime Scene
Three federal agents were shot and a hotel that was also later engulfed by flames Saturday night, April 23, as authorities went in search of a suspect wanted on a pair of robbery related charges.
Topeka authorities have identified the suspect as 28-year-old Orlando J. Collins, who was being sought by officers from the FBI's Kansas City office.
Reports are once the officers reached Collins' door, they were greeted by gunfire from inside the room that left two deputies U.S. marshals and an FBI agent hit. Each of them is expected to survive.
Gunfire May Have Started Blaze
Investigators also now suspect that all the rapid gunfire may have ignited the blaze.
"A fire was ignited from within the room," FBI sources indicated, adding that the fire quickly grew to engulf the entire building. Ultimately, the blaze burned for hours and could be seen from miles away soaring high into the night air.
Later, authorities also found a yet to be identified body in the room where Collins was residing and where all the ruckus commenced. The hotel was quickly evacuated and no others injuries have been reported.
Having been placed on Kansas' most-wanted list, Collins was considered armed and dangerous and a federal arrest warrant had been sworn out charging him with two counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery.
Initially, neighbors in the area thought on the gunfire they heard were firecrackers being set off near the motel.
"We were wondering what exactly it was," Christian Brull told reporters. "There was a couple of shots going on."
Lindsay Haight and Emerson King were also in the vicinity and couldn't help but hear all the drama.
"Fully automatic weapon, for sure, it sounded like," King said.
Investigation Ongoing
The ATF and fire marshal are now overseeing the fire investigation, while the Topeka Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and the Shawnee County Sheriff's Officer were all assisting the FBI in the ongoing criminal probe.
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