A west Wichita hotel where two people were shot in the last year, including one in the last week, was forced to close it doors Friday and evict the people who had been staying there, according to city of Wichita spokesperson Megan Lovely.
Lovely did not answer any specifics, including how many people were affected and the exact reasoning for the closure, but recent police and health inspections show may highlight some of the concerns.
Lovely said “for several months” the Wichita Police Department, Wichita Fire Department, “the community, and the State Fire Marshal have raised concerns regarding serious, identified safety issues” about the Economy Hotel Plus+ Wichita, at 5805 W. Kellogg. She said a “comprehensive assessment of the site was conducted” and the “findings from this week indicate that this location poses an immediate danger to anyone present there.”
The owners of the hotel also own another Wichita hotel.
Additionally, the owners have a hotel in Roswell, Georgia, where a 45-year-old woman was killed in June 2022 that led to a man being charged for murder and a July 2015 fatal shooting of a 30-year-old man over a suspected drug deal that led to two men being charged, according to Appen Media Group and online records that link the owners of the Wichita hotel to that hotel.
The owners could not be reached at the phone number associated with the hotel.
At the now-shuttered hotel, a woman was critically injured after being shot shortly before 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, according to a police report. And on Jan. 17, 2024, a woman in her 20s was found shot in the leg in the hotel lobby.
Lovely said they considered the Arctic weather descending on Kansas this weekend before closing the hotel.
“Ultimately, after many conversations, it was determined that the best action to protect and preserve the safety of those staying in the hotel was to evacuate the facility immediately,” she said. “To assist those impacted, we are working to provide safe shelter options and resources to support individuals and families during this time.”
