By Tony Madden
Three people in south Kansas City — two teens and one man — died in shootings on Sunday evening, according to Kansas City Police Department Capt. Jake Becchina. He noted there is no indication of any relation between the three incidents. No suspects are in custody in any of the investigations, he added.
KCPD identified the victims as 17-year-old Demetrius Smith, 29-year-old William Hunter and 15-year-old Cavazion Williams, respectively.
“Although uncommon, multiple homicide scenes are not unprecedented and there are contingencies in place for additional resources to be called upon to ensure thorough investigations and crime scene processing in such cases,” Becchina told the Telegraph in an email Sunday night. “Those contingencies were called into effect tonight to ensure enough investigators were in place at all 3 scenes.”
17-year-old killed after shooting in Ruskin Hills neighborhood
Officers responded to a call about gunshots at the intersection of 110th Terrace and Greenwood Road in the Ruskin Hills neighborhood just before 6:30 p.m. on Sunday evening. It was updated to a shooting call as officers approached the scene.
Upon arrival, officers were notified a juvenile victim with gunshot wounds had been driven from the scene in a private vehicle to a nearby fire station. The victim was treated by EMS at the fire station and ultimately transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
The victim was later identified as 17-year-old Demetrius Smith.
Homicide detectives and crime scene investigators have responded to the scene for investigation and to process evidence, the department said in an email.
Those at the scene when officers arrived told them multiple people were in the area of 110th Terrace and Greenwood Road when gunfire broke out and the victim was shot. The case is being investigated as a homicide, and there is not anyone in custody at this time.
15-year-old dies from injuries after shooting in Oldham Farms neighborhood
Officers were dispatched to the 7200 block of East 85th Terrace in the Oldham Farms neighborhood at 7 p.m. on Sunday night after a call about the sound of gunfire. After canvassing the area, officers learned about a shooting victim arriving at a hospital by private vehicle.
The victim, a juvenile teen male, was declared dead from his injuries at the hospital.
The investigation indicates the victim was in front of a house on East 85th Terrace when one or more suspects fired shots, striking the victim. The victim was then driven to the hospital by private vehicle.
The victim was later identified by KCPD as 15-year-old Cavazion Williams.
The case is being investigated as a homicide, and no suspects are in custody at this time.
Shooting victim, 29, pronounced dead in front of residence near 97th and Holmes
Officers were dispatched to the sound of shots near 97th Street and Holmes Road about 9:15 p.m. Sunday night. The call was upgraded to a shooting call involving a male victim down in front of a residence.
Officers found the victim unresponsive in front of a house in the 9700 block of Holmes and called EMS, who responded and declared him dead at the scene. Officers believe the victim was shot by another subject, who left the scene before they arrived.
The victim was later identified as 29-year-old William Hunter.
The case is being investigated as a homicide. The investigation is ongoing with officers “making headway” in identifying a suspect of interest as of Monday morning, Becchina said.
If anyone was in the areas of Ruskin Hills, Oldham Farms, or 97th and Holmes and has information or has not yet talked to police, they are asked to contact homicide detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.