Intense heat causes authorities to suspend manhunt for wanted Weston man
WESTON, Mo. (KQTV) -- The Platte County Sheriff's Office announced it took a pause on a manhunt for a wanted man from Weston, Missouri, due to the extreme heat Tuesday.
According to a news release, the Platte County Sheriff's Office responded around 4:20 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to assist the Weston, Missouri Police Department on a suspicious party call around Highway 45 and Highway H.
The Platte County Sheriff's Office believed the person of interest to be 37-year-old Michael A. Hull, who had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest issued Saturday, Sept. 5, after he fled from a traffic stop that caused a minor injury to a Weston Police Officer.
Responding Officers and Deputies began searching the area as sightings of an individual running from the area were reported by residents.
A security camera showed that Hull possibly had a firearm. Due to the search being in the area of the West Platte School District, the district initially implemented a delayed start, but then canceled school due to the ongoing nature of the incident.
According to a news release, Hull previously lived in a house on Cherry Street in Weston, and there was a report that there was an open door at his former residence.
Authorities set up a perimeter around the residence, which is currently unoccupied, but was believed that Hull was hiding inside.
A search warrant was obtained, and law enforcement entered the residence, only for it to be found unoccupied.
Law enforcement said they received information that Hull had fled the city limits of Weston and was possibly in the river bottoms south of the city.
The Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, along with members of the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office and St. Joseph Police Department SWAT team, began a ground search of the river bottoms area.
According to a news release, at approximately 4 p.m., the search for Hull was suspended due to the extreme heat exposure and the areas of heavy brush being searched after approximately 12 hours of searching.
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office said it will keep additional resources in the area and is urging people who see Hull to contact the Platte County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center via 911 or the general business line at 816-858-5848.
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office received assistance from the Weston Police Department, Riverside Missouri Police Department, St. Joseph Police Department, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Platte Fire Department and Taking It To the Streets (Scott Lemasters).
