‘Armed and dangerous’: Independence police name persons of interest in girl’s shooting
Police have released the names of two persons of interest in a rolling gun battle that injured a 9-year-old girl Friday in Independence.
Ronald R. Wessley, 28, and Hope L. Williams, 23, both of Kansas City, were last seen in a black Dodge Durango with a Missouri license plate number RE6K8K, according to the Independence Police Department.
Police did not know the names of the two other men in the Durango.
By Sunday afternoon, officers had located three of the four people as well as the Durango. Police have not released the name of the fourth man they continue to search for.
“All subjects are considered armed and dangerous,” the department said in a Facebook post.
Just before 8 p.m. Friday, police were called to U.S. 40 Highway and South Sterling Avenue because of shots fired.
Around the same time, Kansas City police called the department about a 9-year-old gunshot victim and her mother who were dropped off at a Walmart in Kansas City just south of the area where shots had been heard. Police later said they were dropped off by the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the shooting.
It is believed the child was in a vehicle involved in the rolling gun battle when she was shot, police said. She was brought to a hospital for treatment. Police have not yet released an update on her condition.
Anyone with any information about this shooting was asked by police to call the Tips Hotline at 816-474-8477, the Independence Police Department’s tips line at 816-325-7777 or email tips@indepmo.org.
Gun violence is the subject of a statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America and sponsored in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. As part of this project, The Star will seek the community’s help.
To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 12:21 PM.
