Man fatally shot near Kansas City’s Westport early Saturday morning, police say
Update: Kansas City police have identified the victim as 20-year-old Malik Akins.
A man was shot and killed around Kansas City’s Westport entertainment district early Saturday morning, according to police.
The victim was found by Westport security guards just after 1:30 a.m. that morning. He lay injured in the street near 40th and Washington streets, according to Capt. Corey Carlisle, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department.
Kansas City officers responded to the shooting and attempted first-aid, but emergency medical services pronounced the victim dead at the scene, Carlisle said.
Police do not know what transpired before the shooting.
Detectives are continuing to search for suspect information, and Carlisle said no arrests have been made as of Saturday morning.
The incident is Westport’s second shooting this year, with 20-year-old Alawna Collier being shot in a parking lot near the 500 block of Westport Road in February.
Several other violent incidents in the district have made headlines in the past year, including a mass shooting injuring six in July 2022 and videos of physical fights circulating social media.
The shootings have caused local leaders and citizens to question Westport’s security plan. After Collier’s death, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas tweeted: “Turning a few feet of public sidewalk into private space was never the safety cure for Westport long term. Activation, lighting, and security in large parking lots is one step that we continue to encourage neighborhood owners to pursue.”
A private security company patrols the heart of Westport, but the guards only patrol the area that falls within Westport Community Improvement District.
Westport also requires security screening for weapons between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays between April and October. The area inside the checkpoint becomes a pedestrian-only area for individuals 21 and older during that time.
Westport’s website shows the areas covered by security checkpoints. Areas to the west of Bridger Road and east of Broadway Boulevard fall outside the CID, according to a previous statement from Stacey McBride, a spokeswoman for the Westport Entertainment District.
One business owner, who asked not to be named, told The Star in February that the area outside the CID is less safe, and limited parking poses a threat to bar-goers.
“Parking is very limited,” he said. “You’ve got street parking, and if that’s filled up, your only option is to go … way outside that security.”
Anyone with information about the Saturday shooting is asked to contact police at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted to the TIPS hotline leading to an arrest.
On Saturday Kansas City police updated the shooting’s location to 40th and Washington streets. A release initially indicated it had occurred near Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard.
This story was originally published April 15, 2023 at 9:23 AM.