On June 24, 2020 Parsons Police Officers were notified of a threat to a citizen. Officers were dispatched to Power Flame 2001 S 21st to intercept someone enroute to shoot an employee.

Officers arrived and spoke to the witnesses and the potential victim only to find that the suspects threat had already caused the plant to go into lockdown. The suspect, Dale Perry a resident of Chanute, had already went to Grandview Products to look for the victim and was told that he now worked for Power Flame. The witness stated that he was called by his wife and reported that Dale might be on his way. The witness notified the plant manager and they secured the building.

Officers looked for Perry in Parsons but did not find him. After interviewing the witnesses and the victim it was found that there was substantial evidence to arrest Perry for Aggravated Criminal Threat and causing a business to go into "lockdown". It was later discovered that Perry had returned to his home in Chanute, Kansas.

Later in the evening Chanute Police located and arrested Perry at his home for a kidnapping charge that arose in Chanute that same afternoon. The Parsons Police Department has sent their Aggravated Criminal Threat case to the Labette County Attorney to be charged while Perry is jailed in Chanute. The arrest of Perry in Chanute is not related to the action of Perry in Parsons and that will be a separate criminal matter.

Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks said, "we avoided a potentially deadly situation this day. I want to thank the quick actions by the Power Flame manager to lock the facility down and the officers to rapidly respond to intercept. Active shooters and homicides are what the police train for, but not the type of call that we wish to respond to. We as a community lucked out today and See It, Hear It, Report It was again successful."

This continues to be an on-going investigation and citizens are encouraged to "See It, Hear It, Report It." If anyone has any further information on this incident or any other criminal activity, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 421-7060 or call the Tip Line at 421-7057 or email at tips@parsonspd.com.

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