Police continue search for girl, 15, but can't confirm she was abducted Thursday

Kansas City police said a 15-year-old girl who reportedly was abducted Thursday following a shooting at her home on Elmwood Avenue may have left willingly with a man who allegedly shot her grandfather.

Detectives spent Thursday night and Friday looking for Brajaean Sledge, believing that she had been abducted. Police said Friday afternoon that they believe the teen is with Anthony King, 18.

King is a person of interest in several crimes connected to the shooting.

"We are still very concerned for Sledge’s safety, and she is still considered missing and endangered," said police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina. "We are still actively looking for her."

Brajaean was last seen leaving with a man in her grandfather's 2017 Kia Forte. The teen's grandfather was in serious but stable condition after he was shot.

On Friday, detectives found the 2017 Kia Forte around 8 a.m. in the 11200 block of Bennington Avenue in south Kansas City, and detectives canvassed the area as crime scene investigators gathered and processed evidence.

King is described as an African-American male, 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.

Anyone with information about Brajaean's whereabouts should call 911 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

"We ask that she come to any police station, or go to any friend or family member’s house, or call 911 so that we can ensure her safety," Becchina said.

Based on updated information obtained since the incident, Kansas City police pushed for the Amber alert out across Kansas and Missouri Friday morning.

"Once we believed criteria changed, we updated the alert outreach," Becchina said.

Brajaean was wearing a white V-neck T-shirt and dark pants, and her hair is black with a blonde weave. She is 5 feet 8 inches and weighs about 125 pounds.

The grandfather, who is in his 60s, remained hospitalized.

"Detectives are working diligently to locate her and apprehend this suspect," Becchina said.

Brajaean went missing earlier this year, according to Kansas City police. A police statement issued Jan. 15 said the teen had been missing since Jan. 4 from the area of 41st and Denver streets.

Police thought at the time that she may have been in Kansas City, Kan. and considered her a runaway at the time but wrote she was endangered.

At the time, police spelled her name "Brajean," which was one of multiple aliases provided by police on Thursday. The others are: Bre-shawn, Brayshawn, Rayshawn and Brajean Sweeten.

Friday morning, a woman drove up to the house and went inside but left after a few minutes. The woman declined to talk to a reporter before she drove away.

A neighbor said that moments after the shooting, he and his sister raced over to the residence and administered first aid to the grandfather. The man said his sister used clothing and applied pressure to his wounds until emergency crews arrived.

The man also said he saw the teen talk to her grandfather moments before the incident. The neighbor said a car pulled up to the house and the shooting occurred a short time later.

A woman next door who was visiting her daughter said the gunshots startled her.

"It scared the hell out of me. I fell off the couch," said the woman, who asked not to be identified because the suspect remained at large.

The woman said she occasionally heard loud arguments coming from her neighbor's home.

This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Police continue search for girl, 15, but can't confirm she was abducted Thursday."