Fallen North Kansas City officer allegedly shot twice while lying wounded in street
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North Kansas City cop dies in traffic stop shooting
The police officer shot during a traffic stop Tuesday in North Kansas City has died. The officer was identified as Daniel Vasquez, who had been on the force for two years, North Kansas City Police Chief Kevin Freeman said during a news conference. Clay County Prosecutor Dan White charged Joshua T. Rocha, 24, Wednesday with one count each of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Vasquez.
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The man accused of killing North Kansas City Police Officer Daniel Vasquez allegedly shot the officer twice while he was lying wounded in the street, according to court documents.
Clay County Prosecutor Dan White charged 24-year-old Joshua T. Rocha Wednesday with one count each of first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Rocha was being held on a $2 million bond in the Clay County jail and is scheduled to make his first appearance in court at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Rocha allegedly shot Vasquez about 10:40 a.m. Tuesday after being pulled over in a gray Ford Taurus during a traffic stop near 21st Avenue and Clay Street in North Kansas City. Vasquez was rushed to North Kansas City Hospital where he died while being prepared to be moved to another hospital.
According to court documents, the shooting was captured on the dash camera of Vasquez’s police vehicle. The video allegedly shows a man wearing a dark T-shirt, shorts and black shoes, shot Vasquez in the face through a partially opened driver side door.
The man then got out of the sedan and allegedly fired two more times at Vasquez, who was lying in the street. The man returned to the car and drove away westbound on 21st Ave.
Rocha later walked into the Clay County Court Annex at 1901 NE 48th Street in Kansas City, North, and advised an employee that he needed to turn himself in.
“I committed murder,” Rocha allegedly told the employee, who called 911.
Officers responded and arrested Rocha without incident. He was taken to police headquarters in downtown Kansas City where he was questioned by detectives. The Kansas City Police Department is leading the investigation.
According to court documents, Rocha allegedly said he was on his way to a gun shop to buy ammunition for his .300 Blackout rifle, which he had in the car with him, when Vasquez pulled him over.
Prior to stopping, Rocha told police he reached over into the passenger seat and pulled the rifle onto his lap. He allegedly told detectives he shot Vasquez as soon as he reached the driver’s door and and looked into the window.
Vasquez fell backwards and Rocha stepped out of the car and allegedly shot the officer again while he was on the ground. Rocha told detectives that his rifle malfunctioned. He was able to clear it and allegedly shot the officer again, according to court documents..
Rocha said he fled and attempted to alter his appearance by changing his clothes and cutting off his goatee. He also spray painted the trunk of his car and removed the temporary tag.
Rocha allegedly told detectives he emptied his rifle’s magazine which he believed had five rounds in it. He said he shot Vasquez because he didn’t want to go to jail or have his car towed, according to court documents.
Police obtained a search warrant and found an American Tactical gun inside. Firearms experts at the Kansas City Police Department’s Regional Crime Lab compared cartridge cases found at the scene of the shooting to the firearm and determined that they were fired in the pistol, according to court documents.
This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 3:20 PM.
