KCK police officer ducks bullets from gunbattle near 18th and Rowland

A Kansas City, Kan., officer who was on patrol in a marked police car saw a gunbattle unfold early Monday afternoon and ducked gunfire as occupants of two moving vehicles fired at one another.

Bullets missed the officer and the patrol car in the incident, which occurred at 12:42 p.m. on 18th Street near Rowland Avenue, police said.

Shortly before the gunfire began, the officer, whose car was southbound on 18th Street, spotted a black four-door vehicle coming from the other direction. Someone was hanging out a passenger window and leaning over the car’s roof.

As the vehicle turned in front of the patrol car, someone inside fired at a teal Pontiac Grand Am parked on a sidestreet, police said.

An occupant of the Grand Am returned fire. As the Grand Am pulled onto 18th Street and turned, the police car was caught in the crossfire. The officer ducked.

The black vehicle was last seen heading west on Rowland. The Pontiac drove off north on 18th Street, police said. A passenger-side window may have been shot out.

The gunfight happened about two blocks north of Northwest Middle School, 2400 N. 18th St.

This story was originally published September 14, 2015 at 1:27 PM.