How many mass shootings has Kansas City seen in the past 5 years? See a map of the data

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The gunfire that broke out at Crown Center last week was the Kansas City area’s 24th mass shooting in the past five years, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit organization that tracks shooting incidents around the country.

Crown Center has yet to comment on the shooting, which injured six people and involved at least three shooters including a security guard in the food court area of the popular shopping mall and entertainment complex. The incident was also the Kansas City area’s third mall shooting in the past two months.

The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as a one wherein “a minimum of four victims (are) shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter.” While definitions can vary on what constitutes a “mass shooting,” this language is shared by other research and advocacy groups including Everytown for Gun Safety and the Brady Campaign.

The group’s mass shooting data for the Kansas City area shows that 20 victims of these shootings were killed and 114 more were injured, not including the shooter or shooters.

Nineteen of the metro’s 24 mass shootings since 2019 took place in Kansas City, while two occurred in Kansas City, Kansas, two more in Independence and one in Blue Springs. In 15 cases, no suspects were arrested in connection to the crime.

Hover over each circle on the map below to see the total number of victims along with the date and address of the shooting.

What has been the deadliest mass shooting in the KC area?

The Kansas City area’s deadliest mass shooting in the past five years occurred in Kansas City, Kansas, in October of 2019. Four victims were killed and five more were injured in a bar on Central Avenue.

In January of 2020, a nightclub shooting killed one person other than the shooter and injured 15 more in eastern Kansas City, making it the mass shooting with the highest number of victims over the past five years.

While often deadly, mass shootings account for a small fraction of the firearm deaths in the metro and across the country.

According to data tracked by The Star, which includes shootings by police, 165 people were killed by firearms in Kansas City in 2023 alone. They accounted for all but 20 of the record-breaking 185 homicides in the city that year. According to Kansas City police data, 513 more people were shot in 2023 but survived.

State laws and community programs have failed to curb firearm violence in recent years for a variety of reasons. Learn more about the efforts to reduce shootings in Kansas City here:

• A new gun violence plan starts in KC’s Oak Park neighborhood. What’s different this time?

• When Missouri repealed a key gun law, few protested. The result: More deaths than ever

• This anti-violence strategy has shown results. But Kansas City hasn’t invested in it

• Missouri must look to public health solutions for gun violence problems, experts say

Do you have more questions about gun violence in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.

This story was originally published January 25, 2024 at 6:00 AM.

Natalie Wallington

The Kansas City Star

Natalie Wallington was a reporter on The Star’s service journalism team with a focus on policy, labor, sustainability and local utilities from fall 2021 until early 2025. Her coverage of the region’s recycling system won a 2024 Feature Writing award from the Kansas Press Association.