HAYS, Kan — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is continuing to investigate a deadly shooting that claimed the life of a Hays Police officer early Sunday morning.
Authorities identified the fallen officer as Sgt. Scott Heimann, a dedicated member of the Hays Police Department since 2016. He was fatally shot while responding to a domestic violence incident in the early hours of September 28, 2025.
“This loss is a tragic reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face every day,” the City of Hays said in a statement.
The incident began late Saturday night, Sept. 27, when police received reports that a woman had escaped a domestic violence situation in the 2000 block of E. 21st Street. She told officers her significant other, identified as 34-year-old Zane Wickham, rammed his truck into her vehicle as she tried to flee.
By 1:55 a.m. Sunday, officers and a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper had set up a perimeter near Wickham’s residence on the 2200 block of Downing Avenue. A single shot was fired from inside, striking Sgt. Heimann. Despite immediate life-saving measures and air transport to a regional hospital, Heimann succumbed to his injuries just after 4 a.m.
A standoff ensued as law enforcement deployed gas munitions, window-breaking projectiles, and a surveillance drone. No officers discharged their weapons during the incident. At about 6:15 a.m., tactical teams entered the home and found Wickham dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The KBI will present its findings to the Ellis County Attorney once the investigation is complete.