Westport brings back security checks for season, less than a day after triple shooting
Westport will begin weekend security screenings on Friday night.
The security measures come less than a day after a triple shooting in Westport, but Westport business owner Bill Nigro said the screenings this weekend had been planned before the shooting.
Early Friday, two men and a woman were injured after shots were fired outside of Johnny Kaw’s Yard Bar in the 4100 block of Mill Street.
Both men were taken to an area hospital. One suffered critical injuries and another had serious injuries, said Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department. The woman suffered a graze wound and was treated at the scene.
Westport’s security program is planned long in advance, said Stacey McBride, a spokeswoman for the Westport Regional Business League. The security screening is implemented during the warmer summer months when larger crowds are typically out, she said.
The security screenings will take place between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and run through October, according to Westport’s website. The metal detectors will screen anyone entering the pedestrian-only area of the Westport district.
During the screening, people will be asked to empty their pockets, open their purses or bags and walk through a metal detector. They also have to show a valid ID proving they are at least 21 years old.
The scans are intended to prevent patrons from carrying weapons or any other banned items including include guns, ammunition, explosives, including fireworks, and large knives. If a prohibited item is found, the person will be asked to leave and come back without the weapon.
Westport has eight metal detectors. It also has about 30 security personnel to help keep people safe, Nigro said.
The security screenings have taken place since 2018, after Kansas City’s City Council voted to allow privatization of some sidewalks in the entertainment district. Under Missouri law, police can screen for concealed weapons on private, but not public property.
Past shootings in Westport
The shooting Friday morning was the latest gun violence incident to hit Westport.
A handful of people have been killed and several injured in the past few years.
In February 2020, five people were shot after a gunman fired from an SUV traveling down Mill Street. One person died.
Two people suffered injuries that were not life-threatening after being shot in April 2021 near 40th Street and Westport Road.
In August, two women and a man were shot after several gunshots were fired into a crowd east of Westport Road and Mill Street.
The next month, a man was found shot to death near the intersection of Broadway Boulevard and Westport Road.
A man was critically wounded in a shooting in November near West 40th Street and Pennsylvania Ave.
And in December, a shooting in the entertainment district left a man dead and two others injured.
This story was originally published May 6, 2022 at 4:01 PM.
