‘Heartbroken and disgusted:’ Lucas condemns violence in KC after two police are shot
Mayor Quinton Lucas said he was “heartbroken and disgusted” by violence in the city after two shootings Thursday that left one Kansas City police officer in critical condition and injured another.
Lucas told The Star by phone that he plans to meet with Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and would support legislation that enhances penalties for gun-related crimes.
As the city is projected to have one of its deadliest years with homicide numbers expected to surpass 100, Lucas spoke out against recent killings in the area.
“Four-year-olds, police officers, everyone. It is unsafe right now,” Lucas said. “This has been a season of lawlessness in our city and it needs to stop.”
Lucas referred to 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who became the youngest homicide victim in Kansas City this year when he was fatally shot around 2:30 a.m. Monday while sleeping at the Citadel Apartments on Bushman Road. No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting as of Thursday.
Two officers were also shot and police shot suspects in separate incidents Thursday.
One officer was brought to Truman Medical Center for emergency surgery after being shot in the head during a foot chase near 31st Street and Van Brunt Boulevard, police said. The officer, who has been with the department about 2 1/2 years, was in surgery and in critical condition around 7:20 p.m., Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith said.
Shortly before 10 p.m., the officer was out of surgery and in the intensive care unit in stable condition, according to Sgt. Jake Becchina, a department spokesperson.
Becchina said the officer sustained a “serious injury.”
Smith spoke to reporters outside the hospital about the need to take action to stop violent crime in the city.
The killing of the McDonald’s suspect marked Kansas City’s 100th homicide this year, the city’s deadliest in recent history, according to data maintained by The Star, which includes police shootings. By this time last year, there had been 68 homicides.
“We talk about the violence in this town,” Smith said. “We can see where this is headed.
“As we had to go get a mother and bring her to the hospital today, the first words out of her mouth were ‘I’m angry about all this violence in this city.’
“I hope, I plead that everyone hears those words, and we work 10 times harder than we’re working today on violence in this city.”
Highway patrol officers said police were called to a McDonald’s where the suspect was waving a gun. Police chased the suspect when he fled on foot. The suspect turned and opened fire on the officers, striking one. A second officer fired back, killing the suspect, highway patrol officers said.
Earlier Thursday, another officer was shot following an alleged robbery near the intersection of Independence and Hardesty avenues. The officer was treated and released from a hospital, police said. The suspect and a witness were also shot.
Lucas condemned anyone causing violence in the city and said they must be stopped.
“If you’re somebody who is shooting at people and all of that then you’re just an unsuccessful murderer,” Lucas said. “And often the unsuccessful murderers become successful.
“We need to know who is terrorizing our community right now and there are people who are making this community unsafe for kids, adults and police officers.”
Despite recent protests against police violence and increased anger toward law enforcement, Smith said the city and its residents need to work with officers.
“This is not the time for politics; it is the time for awareness,” Smith said. “It is time for people to understand the situation that we face and how important it is for us as a city to face it together; to face it head-on and be realistic about the expectations.
“It’s very difficult to talk to the officers right now. I guess what I would say to them is the mission hasn’t changed. Our dedication to this city and the people of this city hasn’t changed. And now more than ever they are needed, and they’re needed for all of us. Go back and do what you do best.”
Earlier in the evening, Lucas also expressed support for Kansas City police officers on Twitter.
“The women and men of our department are dedicated to this city,” he wrote. “Always have been. Always will be. We owe them our prayers tonight and our thanks and our resolve—all of us—to call out those who are terrorizing so many in our community.”
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 9:06 PM.
