Victim in Kansas City, North, double shooting said she did not know gunman

A 46-year-old Kansas City, North, woman critically wounded early Tuesday told investigators she did not know the man who fired a shotgun at her and her 14-year-old daughter.

Police continued investigating tips Thursday in the double shooting in the 10300 block of North Virginia Avenue.

Both victims remained hospitalized in critical condition Thursday.

The shooting happened less than a minute after police first learned of a gunman in the neighborhood, according to a police dispatch recording released Thursday.

The dispatcher notified patrol officers of a “reported suspicious party” in the 10200 block of North Flora Avenue.

Neither of two responding officers was very close. One headed north from Vivion Road and Holmes Street. Another headed west from Fifth Street and Milwaukee Road.

He “walked out of the calling party’s garage with a shotgun,” the dispatcher reported. “He was last seen southbound.”

He “told the caller not to test him, said he wasn’t who he was looking for.”

Less than a minute later, the police dispatcher announced that a shooting had happened at a home on North Virginia Avenue.

An officer still en route immediately responded: “That’s right around the corner from our call.”

The dispatcher responded: “Male has shot a female, still inside the location.”

On Wednesday, a relative posted a message on Facebook seeking prayers and expressing his gratitude for the support the family has received since the incident.

“The last 24 hours have been the worst nightmare imaginable,” he wrote. “But thanks to the excellent care of the doctors and nurses, and unbelievable amounts of prayers and encouragement, (the victims) are both still with us. They both need the prayers to keep coming. I can’t begin to express our gratitude. We are humbled by the outpouring of well-wishes.”

The Star is not naming the victims because the shooter remains at large.

Police have not said what prompted the shooting but said the shooter was in the area for a specific purpose.

Investigators have not determined if there was a connection between the victims and the shooter.

Investigators returned Wednesday to the North Virginia residence to gather more evidence and speak with neighbors.

Following the shooting Tuesday, a neighbor told police he confronted an armed intruder who walked into his house through an open garage door. The homeowner and his wife had just walked their dogs and asked the man why he was inside their home.

After the intruder left, the homeowner called police.

The double shooting was reported a short time later, police said.

Officers found the 46-year-old woman kneeling in her driveway holding her stomach, according to a police report. Officers found the wounded 14-year-old sprawled on the family living room floor.

Police found the younger daughter in her bedroom unharmed, the report said.

Authorities set up a wide perimeter to search for the shooter. Officers looked through nearby wooded areas, garages with doors left open and vacant houses. They scaled down the search about four hours later when police determined the gunman was no longer in the area.

Police described the shooter as a white man in his early 20s with dark hair and a scruffy beard, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 150 pounds. He last was seen wearing a gray or dirty white T-shirt and dark pants.

Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 12:05 PM.