Kansas City police arrest person of interest in Amtrak train homicide after standoff
A man considered a person of interest in an early January killing that took place on a suburban Amtrak train was arrested Monday evening after a six-hour standoff with Kansas City police.
The arrest occurred shortly after 8 p.m. when police negotiators were able to convince him to leave the place where he had remained barricaded with a gun since earlier that afternoon, Sgt. Jake Becchina, a police spokesman, said. Becchina described a tense situation involving the man, who allegedly pointed a gun at officers several times that day.
Kansas City police, along with investigators from Lee’s Summit police, were conducting a residence check related to the homicide investigation about 2:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Bushman Drive in Kansas City’s Citadel neighborhood, according to the Kansas City Police Department.
The person they were searching for is a person of interest in the Jan. 14 killing of 30-year-old Richie Aaron Jr., who was shot aboard an Amtrak train while it was stopped at the Lee’s Summit station near 3rd and Main streets.
Officers Monday made contact with a woman at the front door and saw the person of interest, Becchina said. Officers “deescalated the situation and backed away,” he said.
Police arranged for a safe exit for the woman. They surrounded the apartment area and brought in tactical officers and negotiators. Several times, police said, the person of interest opened the door and pointed a gun at officers.
Following the arrest, Becchina praised the work of negotiators and officers to bring the day to a close without violence.
This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 5:44 PM.
