KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The off-duty Kansas City, Missouri, firefighter killed in a shooting at an Independence gas station Thursday has been identified as Anthony Santi.
Independence police responded around 2:30 p.m. to the Road Star gas station located at 11100 E. U.S. 40 Highway.
Initial reports indicate there was a scuffle, but police say they are unable to determine at this time how exactly the 41-year-old was involved and whether he was the intended target or not.
Santi joined KCFD in 2011. A fire department spokesperson says Santi went by Tony and that "with heavy hearts," his presence will be "deeply missed by all."
"As a close-knit organization, we are shocked by yesterday’s tragic loss of FF Santi, and my deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends," Donna Lake, Santi's fire chief, said in a statement. "KCFD is used to responding to these events, and it is difficult to imagine the death of one of our own in such a way. We are fortunate as a fire department to have our 42Cares program as a mechanism for our employees to deal with this sudden loss of Tony.”
KCFD says funeral arrangements will be announced soon.
