Man dead after being found shot in a vehicle in Kansas City

A man found suffering from a gunshot wound inside a vehicle Saturday is believed to be Kansas City’s latest homicide victim, police said.

Officers were called to the area of 12th and Bellaire around 8 p.m. and found the vehicle with the man inside, Sgt. Phil DiMartino, a spokesperson for the Kansas City Police Department, said in a news release.

Police later identified the victim as 47-year-old Daniel Vernassie.

Vernassie was pronounced dead at the scene, DiMartino said. Detectives canvassed the area for witnesses as they work to identify who was involved and what led to the shooting, he said.

The killing marks Kansas City’s 91st homicide in 2024, according to data maintained by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. At this time last year, Kansas City had recorded 127 homicides.

Anyone with information is asked to contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

This story was originally published August 11, 2024 at 8:56 AM.