Footprints in snow lead to teenage suspects

Kansas City police followed footprints in the snow and arrested two teenagers who allegedly shot at a Chinese food delivery driver Tuesday.

Bullets struck the driver’s car and shattered a car window, but the 23-year-old driver was not hit.

Detectives on Wednesday were preparing cases for prosecutors, who will consider filing charges against the teens, ages 17 and 18.

Police arrested them after a nearly three-hour standoff in the 4100 block of Bellefontaine Avenue.

The incident began about 3 p.m. Tuesday when the driver arrived at a home in the 4100 block of Agnes Avenue to deliver an order. He knocked on the door, and a neighbor told him the house was vacant, according to police reports.

He got back in his vehicle and called his restaurant to tell them the house was vacant. His employer told him the customers had called to ask about their food.

Two young men then walked around the house, confronted the driver and asked for their food. The driver asked for the money. The men said they wanted just half the order. They retreated to the back of the house and fired gunshots at the driver, who sped away.

Police tracked footprints from the vacant house to the house on Bellefontaine. The young men initially refused to come out, prompting the standoff involving tactical officers. The pair surrendered just before 6 p.m.

This story was originally published January 8, 2014 at 12:36 PM with the headline "Footprints in snow lead to teenage suspects."