One person is dead, five others injured after shooting at gathering in Kansas City
One person is dead and five others were injured when gunfire erupted during a gathering overnight on Prospect Avenue in Kansas City, a police spokeswoman said.
Shortly after 2 a.m. Monday, officers patrolling the area of East 70th Street and Prospect Avenue heard several shots being fired nearby, said Officer Alayna Gonzalez with the Kansas City Police Department.
A man stopped the officers and told them he had been shot. The officers requested an ambulance, which took him to a hospital. Another gunshot victim was found unresponsive nearby. Emergency medical crews took the victim to a hospital, where he was declared dead, Gonzalez said.
Officers were told that multiple other gunshot victims, all adults, had arrived at hospitals, Gonzalez said.
Family members on the scene Monday morning confirmed the victim who died was Dyamund Shields Jr., owner of the Chicken Mac-N-Cheese food truck. Shields was serving food from his truck at the time of the shooting, according to a family member.
Shortly before noon Monday, Gonzalez said they were able to confirm that there were six gunshot victims total, including the one who died and five others who were injured. They remained hospitalized in stable condition. Detectives are still working to identify the individuals involved and no one was in custody.
A preliminary investigation revealed the shooting occurred during a large outside gathering on Prospect between 70th Street and Gregory Boulevard. A disturbance erupted and escalated into gunfire involving several individuals, who quickly fled the area after the shootings.
The man’s death is being investigated as a homicide. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel were gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. No suspect information was released.
The area on Prospect between 70th Street and Gregory remained closed to traffic while police investigate the homicide, Gonzalez said.
The killing is Kansas City’s 88th homicide of the year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. By this time, in 2023, which was Kansas City’s deadliest year, there were 123 killings. Last year, the city ended the year with a total of 185 homicides.
Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS (8744). Information submitted anonymously to the hotline can earn a reward of up to $25,000. Witnesses can also contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043.
This story was originally published August 5, 2024 at 7:00 AM.
