Aggravated Domestic Battery Leads to Arrest

On January 19, 2021 at approximately 4:16 pm, Parsons Police responded to a call in the police department lobby for a reported battery that took place in the 3000 block of Dirr.

Officers spoke to the victim who stated that the suspect had strangled them and threatened to kill them during an altercation.  The victim's injuries were evaluated by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the victim was later taken to the hospital by private vehicle for treatment after giving officers a statement.

Sergeant Cheryl Landon and Corporal Stewart Shirk arrived at the victim and suspect's residence and arrested Drew Bishop Michael Newton for Aggravated Domestic Battery and Attempted Murder. Drew was taken into custody without incident and processed into the Parsons Police Department facility until his first appearance in a Labette County Court.

Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks said, "I have noticed a long list of crimes that take place in Parsons and most of the violent crimes are of a domestic nature. I have talked about this on our Podcast aired on KLKC and archived on our website. Domestic violence has been a historic issue in Parsons and is one of the most difficult problems to irradicate. If you or any one you know have been a victim of domestic violence please reach out to those in need and teach them where to find help or call the police and get resources for help."

In 2021, the Parsons Police Department working with community partnerships will challenge Parsons to look at root causes of the three top policing challenges: domestic violence, drug and mental health issues. "every week officers respond to domestic violence, work on illegal drug cases and are confronted by people in crisis or challenged by mental health issues," said Spinks. "You can't arrest yourself out of a crime. We all need to look at root causes of criminal behavior. That requires the Community; schools, businesses, non-profits, fraternal groups, neighborhoods and the faith-based community will be tacked to address these challenges in 2021."

Truly to make Parsons great during its sesquicentennial will require some visionary work. The police department plans to ignite the process.

This continues to be an on-going investigation and citizens are encouraged to "See It, Hear It, Report It." If anyone has any further information on this incident or any other criminal activity, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 421-7060 or call the Tip Line at 421-7057 or email at tips@parsonspd.com.

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