Baxter Springs shooting claims two lives, injures third

A shooting in Baxter Springs, Kansas, has claimed the lives of two people and seriously wounded a third.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is now leading the investigation after officers were called around 2:40 Tuesday afternoon after gunshots were heard coming from inside a home in the 2400 block of Lincoln Ave.

Officers arrived on scene and immediately began life-saving measures on the three victims that had been shot. A description of the suspect was immediately put out to responding officers. As officers were coming responding, they located the suspect walking in the area.

After a brief struggle, the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Kyle Butts, of Independence, Missouri, was taken into custody.

Two of the victims were found to be deceased on scene and the third was transported by Cherokee County EMS to Freeman Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Names are not being released at this time pending notification of next of kin.

Butts is being held in the Cherokee County Jail pending formal charges by the Cherokee County Attorney’s Office.

This incident is being investigated by the Baxter Springs Police Department, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.