KCPD van wreck killed Shawnee Mission South High School student, injured 2 relatives

The person killed in a wreck involving a Kansas City police van Sunday has been identified as a Shawnee Mission South High School student.

Shawnee Mission School District officials confirmed Monday that Chandan Rajanna, a senior at Shawnee Mission South, died in the multiple-vehicle crash. His father and older sister also were seriously injured.

The wreck occurred shortly after 4 p.m. when an off-duty Kansas City police officer in a department van rear-ended another vehicle in the northbound lanes of I-435 just south of Stadium Drive.

Rajanna is listed on the 2018 Shawnee Mission South football team roster as a cornerback who was set to graduate in the spring. School officials said they are providing counseling for students who need it.

In a letter to parents, Todd Dain, principal at Shawnee Mission South, wrote that Rajanna’s father and older sister were injured in the crash. School officials have reached out to the family to offer their condolences and support.

“We want you to know that we are here to help in any way we can,” Dain wrote. “Please continue to keep Chandan’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.”

Police have not released new information about the crash, including the victim’s name, as the investigation continues Monday.

On Sunday, a police spokesman said the officer involved in the wreck was off-duty and was on his way to Arrowhead Stadium. It is not clear if the officer was scheduled to work off-duty at the stadium.

The police van, a blue Ford E350, came upon slow traffic that was lining up on the way to Arrowhead Stadium, according to police.

The van ran into the rear of a Maroon Mitsubishi Lancer, knocking it into a white Ford Edge, which was forced into a black Chevy Suburban.

The police van struck both the Mitsubishi and the Ford Edge before coming to rest to the north of all three other vehicles in the crash. The driver of the Mitsubishi was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers in the front and rear of the car were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

The police officer involved in the wreck was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening.

No one in the Ford Edge or the Suburban were seriously injured.

At Shawnee Mission South, a crisis response team is available to any student that needs support.

Additional district counselors, social workers and school psychologists were available to visit with students. Counseling and support will continue to be available for any students in need throughout the week.

Anyone with information about the incident should call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

This story was originally published October 22, 2018 at 11:26 AM.