Suspect sought after Kansas City shooting spree kills 1, injures 4

A manhunt is underway in connection to a Kansas City-area shooting spree that killed one person and injured four others, including an Uber driver who was taking passengers to a World Cup match, according to police.

The suspect has been identified as 22-year-old Oscar Sanchez Muñoz, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a briefing Wednesday. He has an active warrant out of Kansas City, Kansas, or Wyandotte County for aggravated assault with a $100,000 bond.

The shootings happened Tuesday evening in close succession, moving from west to east across the Kansas City area, Graves said. Police believe all five shootings are connected to Sanchez Muñoz.

The first reported case happened at about 6:30 p.m. near Truman Road and Bennington Avenue, where police were called for an injury crash. The victim was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries before medical workers discovered he had been shot. He later died at the hospital.

Four other people were wounded in shootings near I-670 and Wyoming Street, I-70 and Paseo Boulevard, I-70 and Prospect Avenue, and Truman Road and Hardesty Avenue. Police said the victims had been in vehicles when shots were fired.

Graves said one of the surviving victims may still be hospitalized, while the others were stable with injuries that were not life-threatening.

One of the people shot was an Uber driver who was taking passengers to the World Cup match between Argentina and Algeria in Kansas City, Graves confirmed. She said officers drove the passengers to the match and that they arrived on time.

Graves said police have found no other connection between the shootings and the World Cup. “This is an isolated incident,” she said, adding that police believe one person was responsible for the series of shootings.

The investigation led police to a home in Independence, Missouri, where officers believed Sanchez Muñoz was inside. The situation became an armed barricade after Independence police confirmed the subject was believed to be in the residence.

At about 12:45 a.m. Wednesday, officers reported that the house was on fire. Fire crews responded and extinguished the blaze, which caused significant damage to the home.

Blue Springs police later cleared the house and did not find Sanchez Muñoz or anyone else inside. Kansas City police took over the scene at about 10 a.m. and searched the burned home, nearby structures and vehicles with fire personnel, state fire marshals and dogs, but the suspect was not found.

Police said the vehicle used in the shootings was found at the home and is in police custody.

Federal, state and local agencies are helping search for Sanchez Muñoz, who police said should be considered armed and dangerous. Graves said he is believed to be hiding and asked anyone who sees him to call 911 immediately.