‘They stood up’: Man detained at Kansas City homicide scene after neighbors speak out
A man was handcuffed at the scene of a homicide Monday night after community members informed police that he may have been involved in the killing.
The “subject of interest” was detained shortly after police were called to the shooting just after 6:45 p.m. in the 6000 block of Agnes Avenue, said Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department.
When they arrived, officers found a man on the front porch of a home, suffering from gunshot wounds, Drake said. The victim, who has not yet been publicly identified, was declared dead at the scene.
About an hour after the shooting was reported, a group of people stood on a sidewalk near the police tape. Some of the neighbors gathered told The Star that they hear gunshots often in the neighborhood.
A short time later, one of the men on the sidewalk walked up to the tape to speak with an officer.
Soon, half a dozen officers surrounded another man who was also standing on the sidewalk and handcuffed him. Drake later told reporters that the scene was a little chaotic, and that several people spoke to responding officers, leading to the man being taken into custody.
“That’s what we need, and we appreciate that. We know that’s difficult and not always easy, but to a family that’s grieving, that makes a huge difference,” Drake said.
Rosilyn Temple, with KC Mothers in Charge, said the fact that those at the scene came forward further proves that the community is tired of the violence.
“Tonight they stood up and they did something,” said Temple, who often visits homicide scenes to comfort families. “In the 10 years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never seen anything like this, and it made me feel so proud for my community.”
The killing marked the 157th homicide this year in Kansas City, according to data kept by The Star. Last year — the deadliest year on record — the city suffered 182 homicides. Last week, after a string of killings the week of Christmas, 2021 became the second-deadliest year on record.
“This is someone’s loved one,” Drake said. “This is senseless. There are other ways to resolve conflict that don’t involve someone taking another person’s life.”
The department is asking anyone with any information about the shooting to contact the homicide unit at 816-234-5043 or to call the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
“It ain’t your job to take somebody’s life like that,” one of the men who reported the person of interest to police said aloud as the other man sat handcuffed on the sidewalk.
“Can’t come to an end if everybody want to be quiet,” a woman who lived nearby said as police ushered the witnesses to the other side of the sidewalk. “If you don’t talk, another person dies.”
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 December 27, 2021 at 10:56 PM.
