Man fatally shot while working on vehicle overnight in Kansas City
Update: Police identified the victim as 61-year-old Gary L. Norris.
A man died at a hospital after being shot while working on a vehicle early Thursday in Kansas City’s East Blue Valley neighborhood, a police spokeswoman said.
Officers responded to the shooting shortly before 1 a.m. in the area of East 16th Street and Fremont Avenue, said Officer Alayna Gonzalez with the Kansas City Police Department.
Arriving officers found the unresponsive victim inside a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds, Gonzalez said. Officers attempted to render medical aid until an emergency medical crew arrived. An ambulance took the man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A preliminary investigation found that the victim was working on a vehicle when he had an unspecified exchange with another man that escalated into gunfire, Gonzalez said. After the shooting, the assailant left the scene prior to police arriving.
No one was in custody, and police had not identified anyone possibly involved in the shooting, Gonzalez said.
The killing is Kansas City’s second homicide of the year, according to data tracked by The Star. That compares to six homicides reported at this time last year.
Detectives urged anyone with information about the homicide to call the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS (8477). Tips submitted anonymously to the hotline may be eligible for a reward of up to $25,000. Tipsters may also call homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043.
This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 7:00 AM.
