Atchison man arrested after false fire alarm, extinguisher assault at apartment complex
A false fire alarm on North 3rd Street turned into an assault call, and police say a 57-year-old man was jailed on $2,500 bond. No fire was found.
What began as a possible building fire in Atchison turned into a different kind of public-safety call late Tuesday night, when officers say a false alarm and an alleged assault with a fire extinguisher unfolded inside an apartment complex in the 200 block of North 3rd Street.
Atchison police responded shortly before midnight after a disturbance was reported and the fire alarm started sounding. Investigators later determined there was no fire inside the building. Instead, police say the alarm had been falsely activated by 57-year-old Anthony Edwardson, who lives in the complex. Officers also say Edwardson sprayed a 48-year-old resident in the face with a fire extinguisher during the incident.
The response forced police and emergency crews to sort out two urgent questions at once: whether residents were in danger from a fire, and whether a crime had taken place inside the apartment building. Once officers confirmed there was no actual blaze, the call became a reminder of how quickly a shared-housing disturbance can ripple through an entire complex, alarming neighbors and pulling public-safety resources toward a scene that was never a fire emergency.
Edwardson was taken into custody on requested charges of transmitting false information to request emergency services and battery. The Atchison County Jail roster shows he was booked at 2:07 a.m. Wednesday, April 22, 2026, with bond set at $2,500. The roster identifies the arresting agency as the Atchison Police Department and lists the charges under Kansas statutes 21-6207(a)(1) and 21-5413.
The sheriff’s office roster identifies Edwardson as White and lists his age as 57. It also notes that charges and bail amounts may change after court appearances. The Atchison County Sheriff’s Office says the county covers 431 square miles and serves 16,249 citizens, underscoring how one apartment disturbance in a small county can quickly engage multiple layers of public safety. Its Investigations Division says it works closely with victims, witnesses, citizens, local agencies, state agencies and federal agencies as cases move forward.
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