Independence man accused of having gun that was stolen from Belton police

A 35-year-old Independence man was charged Monday with illegally possessing a stolen handgun that belonged to a Belton police officer.

Paul M. Leach was arrested Sunday after attempting to flee from Independence police officers investigating a call about a suspicious person, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City.

As Leach ran from them, officers saw him pull a handgun from his waistband and throw it into some bushes, according to the documents.

After his arrest, Leach allegedly said he wished he could have “taken out” some officers, according to the allegations.

The .45-caliber handgun was loaded when police recovered it. It had been reported stolen in a Lee’s Summit home burglary last December and had been issued to a Belton police officer, the court documents show.

Because Leach has several prior felony convictions, it is illegal for him to possess a firearm.

This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Independence man accused of having gun that was stolen from Belton police."