2 killed, 3 injured in Kansas City shooting near downtown

Two people were killed and four others were injured in a shooting near downtown Kansas City, Missouri, according to police.

The shooting happened at around 4 a.m. on Sunday when officers were first dispatched to 11th and Grand Boulevard for a reported shooting, Sgt. Phil DiMartino of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department said at a briefing. Officers were directed to a nearby surface parking lot at 13th and Grand, where they found multiple gunshot victims.

An adult male was pronounced dead at the scene. Four other victims were located: two adult males, one with critical injuries and one with serious injuries; a juvenile male in critical condition; and a woman with non-life-threatening injuries. Hours later, the adult male died at the hospital.

DiMartino said preliminary information indicates that an altercation between several people in the parking lot led to the gunfire.

“We don’t know what that altercation was over, we don’t know what led up to it, but what we do know is that there were a lot of shots fired and multiple people were shot,” DiMartino said.

“This is where Kansas City comes to celebrate, this is where we come to gather, and it’s been stained by violence,” DiMartino added. “This is unacceptable for our city and I hope everyone understands the gravity that this situation holds and that we take it seriously.”

“So far two have died following a shooting in the unsecured surface parking lot,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said. “I grieve for all the victims. Law enforcement will pursue justice.”

No suspects have been taken into custody, and the investigation is ongoing. Police are asking anyone with information to come forward.