Police: Deadly Weekend of Violence in Kansas City

Two Reported Homicides

KANSAS CITY— This past weekend, law enforcement authorities have found themselves investigating a string of violence that has cost several lives in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas. Two homicides kicked off the bloody weekend in Kansas City, Missouri.

The first incident occurred just after 3 a.m. on Saturday, with police responding to reports of an altercation involving a weapon around the 12th and Benton Boulevard vicinity, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez from the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD). When the call was later updated to a shooting, officers arrived to find the deceased victim, 27-year-old Zachary H. Trivitt, unresponsive within a vehicle, a result of a gunshot wound. Emergency medical services (EMS) were shortly on the scene and confirmed the victim’s passing.

Only a few hours later, at 9 a.m. on Saturday, officers were once again dispatched, this time to an apartment complex within the 2600 block of E. 29th Street, on another call of gunshots. Here, officers discovered yet another male victim, also unresponsive due to gunshot trauma. Authorities arrived to provide medical aid, but the man had died on arrival. Preliminaries from the ensuing investigation point to an argument as the trigger root for this violent incident. Detectives are currently attempting to locate a man identified as a potential person of interest in this case.

Officer-involved Shooting

Aside from these heart-wrenching homicides, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) also finds itself digging into an officer-related shooting that occurred in Kansas City, Kansas late last Friday. This incident was tied to the theft of a silver Hyundai Sonata on May 10. The Kansas City Kansas Police Department (KCKPD) received a tip-off that suggested the stolen car was in the area of S. 7th Street Trafficway and I-35.

At roughly 11:10 p.m., a resident called 911 to report a silver car pulled over in the 1500 block of S. 7th Street Trafficway, and subjects escaping from the vehicle. A KCKPD officer arriving at the scene noted three male subjects fleeing from the vehicle and initiated a chase. The officer chased the men towards the I-35 South on-ramp, during which one of the individuals hid and opened fire on the officer from a thick brush. The officer returned fire, striking and fatally wounding the shooter.

Subsequent backup officers arriving at the scene assisted in controlling the situation and managed to apprehend a 16-year-old male involved in the initialization of the pursuit. Despite attempts at lifesaving measures, the gunman was declared deceased at the scene. The third individual involved in the case remains at large.

Fortunately, the officer involved in this incident walked away uninjured.

Authorities On High Alert

In the wake of these shocking incidents, Kansas City finds itself on high alert while authorities work tirelessly to effect arrests, complete investigations and ensure safety. Investigations continue and further updates will be provided as they become available.