Lee’s Summit officer released from hospital, identified following Sunday shooting

A Lee’s Summit police officer injured in a Sunday night shooting was released from an area hospital Tuesday, Lee’s Summit Police Department Sgt. Christopher Depue said in a press release.

Officer Jared Timbrook was shot four times Sunday after he responded to a reported domestic disturbance at the Residences of Echelon Apartments in the 3500 block of Southwest Hollywood Drive.

“If you would have told me that an officer shot four times on Sunday would leave the hospital on Tuesday, I would have called you crazy,” Depue said in an email to reporters. “Credit to an amazing care team and a determined officer who wants to get healed up!!”

Timbrook has been with the Lee’s Summit Police Department for 18 months, the press release said, after a 7 year stint at a previous agency.

Thomas Eugene Tolbert, 27, was apprehended early Tuesday morning for allegedly shooting Timbrook, ending a blue alert issued in Kansas and Missouri.

Tolbert was apprehended inside a hotel at 204 N. Washington St. in Ellis, Kansas, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. He was booked into the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Jail.

The man faces one count each of first-degree assault or attempted serious physical injury, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest or detention by fleeing, and second-degree domestic assault.

Officer shot responding to domestic disturbance

According to court documents, Lee’s Summit Police responded to the Residences of Echelon Apartments after a woman reported a domestic disturbance. She alleges that during an argument with Tolbert, he became violent, throwing her to the ground and kicking her.

She then grabbed her child and fled downstairs before calling the police.

The first officer to arrive at the scene, Timbrook, located Tolbert in the complex’s parking lot. When he tried to obtain Tolbert’s information, Tolbert refused.

When Timbrook attempted to detain Tolbert, but Tolbert allegedly broke free and ran through the parking lot. As Tolbert rounded garage buildings, he allegedly fired four shots, striking Timbrook in the left leg, left arm, shoulder and the chest of his body armor.

Six 10mm shell casings were found at the scene.

Tolbert had history of shooting at law enforcement, court documents allege

At the time of his Tuesday arrest, Tolbert was on an 18-month probation term that began in April 2024 following weapon posession charges, according to a spokesperson from the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Tolbert was convicted in 2017 and 2019 for unlawful use of a weapon and assault charges. The 2019 case stems from an incident in which Tolbert fired shots at officers following a traffic violation.

Previous reporting by The Star’s Kendrick Calfee, Robert A. Cronkleton and Nathan Pilling contributed.

This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 2:37 PM.