KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Federal officials said Operation LeGend has resulted in more than 350 arrests since its launch in Kansas City, Missouri, eight weeks ago, including nearly three dozen homicide arrests.
In a news release Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison said local and federal law enforcement officers have made 355 arrests in Kansas City as part of Operation LeGend, a federal anti-crime initiative that also has expanded to eight other U.S. cities.
Garrison said among those arrested, 109 were charged in federal courts in the Western District of Missouri, Kansas and Texas. In Missouri, the majority of defendants were charged with firearm or drug-related offenses.
The remaining 246 arrests include 33 in connection with homicide cases and 62 for fugitives with either state or federal warrants. The remaining 151 non-fugitive arrests were either referred for prosecution in state court or supervised release violators, according to Garrison.
As part of Operation LeGend, law enforcement officers also seized 122 firearms.
Operation LeGend launched in Kansas City on July 8 as a federal task force with agents representing the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The initiative is named for 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, a Kansas City boy who was shot to death while sleeping in his family’s apartment in late June. A 22-year-old man was charged in August in connection with LeGend’s death.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr, federal officials and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department have hailed Operation LeGend as a successful measure in combating the violent crime rate in Kansas City, which is currently on pace to see a record number of homicides in 2020.
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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 41 Action News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015.
