KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 43-year-old Dalton, Missouri, man set himself on fire before running at police in Chillicothe on Wednesday, according to a Facebook post from the Chillicothe Police Department.
A person reported a "suspicious" man purchasing lighters and carrying flammable liquid in Livingston County. He was driving a retired and repainted school bus.
Then, a different person called emergency dispatch to report a bus driving northbound on U.S. 65 Highway toward Chillicothe.
"The reporting party stated the driver of the bus was speeding up, slowing down rapidly and running other vehicles off the roadway," the post said.
Around 7 p.m., officers located the bus speeding and pulled the driver over in the 900 block of South Washington Street.
"When contacted by C.P.D. officers, the driver leapt from the driver seat and ran to the back of the bus," the post said. "Because the windows were heavily tinted, Officers could not see what the driver was doing."
The driver poured flammable liquid on himself and lit himself on fire while the officers could not see him and were requesting he leave the vehicle, according to the post.
While on fire, the man then ran toward officers.
Officers used a fire extinguisher to try and save the subject's life. Emergency medical services performed life-saving measures on the man and he was transferred to a hospital via airlift. However, the man died from his injuries.
"The investigation is ongoing and the male’s intent is not known at this time," the police department said.
—
For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
