Man barges into WIBW studios, stabs two staffers

[T.L. Hughes 753]

Two WIBW staffers were injured Wednesday morning after a man barged into the studios of a Topeka television station, turning a normal workday into chaotic scene where a station that broadcasts news became the news.

 

Backstory: Around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday morning, a man asked for access into the Southwest Commerce Place studios of CBS affiliate WIBW-TV/Topeka (owned by Gray Television), reportedly upset about how the Department of Veterans Affairs was handling his case. Station receptionist Lynda Janes, asked the man, identified as Ray Miles (described as an African-American male, height: approximately 5'8", and carrying a black and green backpack at the time he returned), to wait while she got the station's news director Jon Janes to speak with him, Jon Janes told Miles that he needed to take the issue up with the VA (Miles previously went to the station about the same situation, which was not identified, on March 22).

 

Ten minutes after Miles first left the studios, he demanded entry into the station once again; described as being "agitated", Miles unplugged a lamp, smashing it against the glass front doors, starting removing a sofa near the entrance and then proceeded to chase the receptionist and another station employee, Rob Peppers, into the newsroom. Several employees tackled Miles and eight held him until police arrived, but not before he stabbed two employees in the leg; the victims were identified as sales manager Roger Brokke and sales associate Greg Palmer. Both men suffered non-life threatening injuries, and Brokke was taken in to the hospital to receive a tetanus shot. A Topeka Police Department representative has said that Miles will be booked at the Department of Corrections after being treated at a local hospital.

 

The station has since released surveillance video of the incident, which has been posted on its website.

[qunewsguy 376]

Almost as disturbing as the story itself: all the comments below the article. Glad everyone's okay after that. Hopefully they take a closer look at security measures.