As Kansas City highway shooter search drags on, here’s what City Council members say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Local police agencies are conducting an ongoing manhunt for Oscar Sanchez-Munoz.
- Police released new convenience-store photos showing Sanchez-Munoz with dyed blonde hair.
- The Kansas City Police Board commended officers for their efforts and communication.
Editor’s note: Police on Wednesday said they believe they have found the suspected highway shooter dead in a home in Independence that had previously been searched by investigators. That story is here.
As the search for a man believed to be responsible for a series of highway shootings last week continues, city leaders say they trust law enforcement officers are doing everything they can to apprehend the alleged shooter.
Local police agencies are conducting an ongoing manhunt for Oscar Sanchez-Munoz, 22, of Independence, in connection to a string of highway shootings that killed one and injured four on June 16. Police believe he opened fire on motorists along Interstate 70 as fans were making their way to the first FIFA World Cup match in Kansas City.
Council member Crispin Rea, who represents the 4th District, said the shooting on the eastern edge of his district occurred in the area where he grew up and where his father currently lives. He said the shooter appeared to target random people.
“The person behind it is very dangerous and has blatant disregard for life,” Rea said.
But that person is still at large, more than a week after the shooting occurred, with no clear end in sight.
On Wednesday, KCPD published new photos of Sanchez-Munoz in a convenience store from the day of the shooting. The new photos show Sanchez-Munoz with a different hair color — dyed blonde — than earlier released images that showed him with brown hair.
As the search drags on, the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday commended police for their efforts after weeks of shooting incidents brought international attention to the city’s gun violence problem as thousands of soccer fans visit for the FIFA World Cup.
The commissioners also praised the department’s communication surrounding the highway shootings incident, despite the department facing criticism over its handling of information. Several hours passed between the first reports of gunfire and the department’s public confirmation of the incidents.
‘Full trust’
Rea, a former Jackson County assistant prosecutor, said it’s hard to assess whether the police response has been adequate without all of the information and evidence. He said he does not know how Sanchez-Munoz has so far been able to avoid capture, but suggested that it’s not an easy task for police.
“It’s like finding a needle in a haystack,” Rea said. “I have no doubt they are putting everything they have into it.”
Councilmember Nathan Willett, who represents the 1st District, said he also trusts law enforcement to find Sanchez-Munoz.
Willett said he is thankful law enforcement released updated images and for continuing to search for the alleged gunman.
“I have full trust in KCPD and other law enforcement to go after this guy,” Willett said. “I just ask that citizens be aware and if they see something, say something.”
Other city council members either declined to comment about the ongoing manhunt or did not respond to requests for comment.
Sixth District Council member Johnathan Duncan declined to comment, but pointed to his statements earlier this month about gun issues in the city.
After nine people were injured from a spray of gunfire on Troost Avenue, Duncan said violent shootings in the city stem from the proliferation of guns in Missouri and America.
“There are too many damn guns on the street,” he said. “We live in a state where it’s easier to get a gun than it is to get healthcare or a mental health provider and that is the state and the nation in which we live and the whole world is looking at us right now.”
This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 5:15 PM.
