By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
A Hays man is facing two counts of aggravated assault after reportedly threatening a Hays police officer and a bystander with a knife.
Just before 9 p.m. June 28, the Ellis County dispatch center received a report of a suspicious person at 13th and Main, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler.
The initial report received by dispatch indicated an individual had a beer in one hand and meat cleaver in the other, he said.
At the same time that report was being called in, an off-duty police officer was leaving the Law Enforcement Center and encountered the individual.
That officer said the person was noted to be mumbling to himself and was heard to reference suicide by cop, according to Scheibler.
Officer John Zimmer and Sgt. David Vilaysing made contact, but the suspect was uncooperative and attempted to leave the scene.
They initially noted the suspect appeared unarmed but when he began talking he pulled a large knife from his waistband and threatened to kill the officers and a nearby civilian, Scheibler said, but the officers were able to successfully deescalate the situation.
"We truly had the best guy available for the call," he said, noting Vilaysing is the deescalation trainer for the department.
Thanks to the officers' efforts, the suspect discarded the weapon and was taken into custody without further incident.
Brian Leslie Winters, 49, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of aggravated assault.
"I'm grateful for the professionalism of the officers that responded," Scheibler said. "They were able to verbally deesclate the situation, make it safe and take Mr. Winters into custody without anybody getting hurt."
Winters has a prior conviction for theft, from an incident on Jan. 10, 2020, and was discharged on Feb. 22.