Rifle-carrying man killed by police in Liberty after he shot at officers, police say

A man who fired at officers with a rifle was killed by police Saturday evening in Liberty, according to a spokesman with the Liberty Police Department.

At least two officers from Liberty police and at least two deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office responded about 7 p.m. to the 1000 block of Highland Drive on reports of a suicidal man armed with a rifle.

Capt. Andy Hedrick of Liberty police said the man had called police dispatch and “made some comments regarding a mass shooting.”

Upon the officers’ arrival, Hedrick said, the man pointed the rifle at officers and fired. Officers from both agencies returned fire, killing the man, Hedrick said.

He was 33. Police have not yet released his identity.

No officers were injured in the shootout.

The Northland Officer-Involved Shooting Incident Team, a multi-agency unit, will investigate the shooting. Hedrick said North Kansas City and Gladstone police are among the agencies investigating.

“Sometimes officers have to use lethal force when they’re confronted with lethal force,” Hedrick said. “I’m glad police officers are OK, and it’s tragic that someone’s deceased right now as a result of this.”

Hedrick said the last officer-involved shooting in the city was about 10 years ago.

Brooke Nelson was driving home when she saw an officer holding what she believed to be a weapon near where the shooting occurred. Fearing getting caught in crossfire, she sped to her nearby home.

She heard from other neighbors that the man who was killed may have been involved in a dispute with an ex-girlfriend.

Amie Ward, also a resident of the area, said she was giving her children a bath when she heard a “couple shots.” At first she didn’t think they were gunshots but then saw the police response to the area.

She spoke with a neighbor who was outside teaching her daughter to ride a bike during the shooting. The daughter thought the shots were firecrackers.

“It’s terrifying because it’s right there,” Ward said.

Phil Schlotterer, another resident, said he heard five shots that sounded like shotgun blasts.

Hedrick said, “It’s obviously going to be pretty traumatic to have a shooting occur in their neighborhood.”

This story was originally published August 4, 2018 at 10:54 PM.