US: Kansas man arrested in connection with two fatal shootings after fleeing police

A 51-year-old Kansas man was arrested on Sunday morning in connection with two fatal overnight shootings in Lawrence in the United States after fleeing police and firing on officers during the chase.

Lawrence Police spokeswoman Laura McCabe said in a news release the two shootings were reported early on Sunday morning just a few blocks apart in the city that is home to the University of Kansas.

The first shooting was reported around 1am on Sunday, and officers found a critically injured 53-year-old man. He died later at a Kansas City hospital.

The second shooting was reported a few blocks away a short time later, and officers found a dead 43-year-old man.

Over the next several hours investigators identified a suspect, but when officers found him at around 6am, he refused to pull over and instead fled police.

The suspect led police on a chase across Lawrence before getting on Kansas Highway 10 and heading toward Kansas City.

McCabe said the suspect fired at officers several times as he drove down the highway before hitting stop sticks that an officer from Eudora put out and stopping.

After the chase ended, police arrested Rodney Ericson Marshall of Lawrence on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder.

McCabe said investigators believe Marshall acted alone, but she didn't say what led to the shootings.

The victims' names were not immediately released on Sunday.