KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Missouri, police received a call about a stolen vehicle at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Later, KSHB 41 confirmed an incident involving a non-injury hit-and-run crash with subsequent gunfire at a member of the crash.
KSHB 41 received an anonymous tip about the victims involved in the gunfire.
Following correspondence with the family, KSHB's Ryan Gamboa met with a man, who asked to remain anonymous.
KSHB 41 obtained copies of the victim's incident report. KCPD reports the incident is being investigated as an aggravated assault with shots being fired.
The victim, who resides in the Hyde Park Neighborhood near Gillham Park, said he was taking his two children to a car show.
"Some guys blew a stop sign and T-boned us. Then, they got out of their cars," he said.
Following the crash, suspects in two vehicles, one totaled and the other parked on Gillham Road heading south, piled into the undamaged vehicle, the victim said.
With his kids in his vehicle, the victim attempted to take a picture of the inflicting vehicle.
He said a gun was then pointed at his vehicle, and the suspects fired three to four rounds.
"My son was screaming, 'Daddy, I don’t want to get shot,'" he said. "I scooped him up, and we sat near the right rear tire, which was the furthest point of safety away from the incident."
The victim told Gamboa the Hyde Park Neighborhood is tight-knit; residents lay low and are supportive of their neighbors.
Residents in a nearby apartment complex allowed the victim's family inside their building after the incident.
"They (both children) were visibly shaken up," he said. "I proceeded to have a panic attack. I kept it together in front of my kids, but I had to step out into the hallway. That's when it hit.”
The family and KCPD report no injuries in the incident. However, the victim said his kids experienced emotional trauma.
"In the moment, I’ve never seen them so scared of anything in their lives," he said. "... Their mom and I talked about it. We're going to get them in to see their school counselor. If that doesn’t go anywhere, we’re going to put them in therapy.”
According to the victim, KCPD said both vehicles reported stolen were made by KIA.
The vehicle that was totaled and the other vehicle have not been located yet, per police.
The victim, who works in the auto industry, claimed KIA models are easy to steal using a laptop.
"They’re shooting at people over stolen cars," he said. "That doesn’t make any sense to me. Why are you even doing that in the first place?"
When Gamboa asked the victim what his solution to violent crimes would be, he answered better access to mental health resources, education and more funding for police to work effectively.
"It’s not necessarily their fault (law enforcement), they’re the opposition in this," he said. "I truly think they need more resources to do their job efficiently. I think they need more staff. I think they need to be trained a little better. It has to do with city officials being so lenient on these criminals and not prosecuting and investigating them."
KCPD's daily homicide analysis from Sept. 7, 2024, reports KCMO is at 108 homicides this year. Out of the 108 total homicides, the report said firearms have been used 104 times.
The analysis states, "More than one firearm and/or other means may have been used to commit a single homicide."
While no one was injured in Saturday morning's incident, the victim told KSHB 41 his neighborhood is changing.
"I’ve seen a lot of stuff in the city, and I’m not proud of being from here, especially right now," he said.
KCPD reports the identification of the suspects is not known to detectives at this time. No one has been arrested or charged.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. Share your story idea with Ryan.