KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ellie Preston said Saturday was supposed to be a good night out in Kansas City, Missouri's, Westport District.
“It was like — pow, pow, pow, pow, pow; like five or six, seven shots, something like that," Preston said.
Preston and her friends were out enjoying the sights and sounds of Westport when multiple shots rang out just before 1:30 a.m. early Sunday near Westport Road and Broadway.
The shooting left one person dead and five others injured.
“It was really scary," Preston said. "It was just loud — you knew what they were as soon as it happened."
Fearing for their lives, Preston and her friends immediately ducked for cover near the Taco Bell Cantina in the area.
"It's like the only thing you can do in the moment is run,” Preston said. “We just started screaming and running and crying; we like hid behind the car with this couple, and the girl was crying."
According to Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, the shooting happened after an altercation between a group of people.
Police identified the victim who died as Jahquan Robinson, whose 24th birthday would have been Sunday.
"It makes it feel super real and its devastating truly," Miller said. "It's something that we sort of expect to some extent, and I feel like it's out of my control, so it's kind of disappointing that I feel like there is nothing I can do about it."
The group of friends expressed they are saddened by what took place and hope things will change in Westport for the better.
“At the same time, I'm just kind of numb to it because it's like, even though you were there, it's like this kind of stuff happens all the time," Preston said.
KCPD is asking anyone who saw or heard anything to call the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477).
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