Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe announced that two sheriff’s deputies were justified in the fatal shooting of Jonathan Lunceford, who stabbed a coworker at the Panasonic Energy plant in De Soto.
Investigation Details
The incident occurred on December 12, 2025, when deputies responded to a 911 call at the plant. They found a victim with four stab wounds and located Lunceford, who was shot and killed after failing to comply with deputies’ orders.
According to Howe, the deputies’ actions were lawful under Kansas law, given the threat posed by Lunceford to the hundreds of people at the facility. The investigation found that Lunceford, a 55-year-old contractor, had a blank, ‘thousand-yard stare’ and was unresponsive to verbal commands.
The stabbing victim has recovered from their injuries, and Lunceford’s family has not made contact with the District Attorney’s office. The two deputies involved in the shooting have returned to active duty after being placed on administrative leave.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
