Kansas City police respond to 6 homicides over weekend

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    Kansas City, MO (KCTV) — – Right now, Kansas City police have their hands full with five new homicide crime scenes and six more deceased victims.

Four of the scenes happened within a 24-hour period.

Kansas City police are getting help investigating the deaths from federal agents with Operation Legend, a federal anti-crime program meant to assist city police in high-crime areas.

Around 6 p.m. Saturday, officers were flagged down near E. 47th Street and Sterling Avenue. Neighbors led them to a backyard where they found two men shot dead.

That was homicides numbered 117 and 118 for Kansas City, Missouri.

About twelve hours later, police responded to a 911 call from 27th Street and Benton Boulevard on Sunday morning. A man in his 20s found dead of a gunshot wound.

That was homicide 119.

Then, on Sunday just before 5 in the afternoon outside the Kansas City Zoo, zoo employees called off-duty police officers to the parking lot after seeing a man collapse on the ground. The man had been shot while inside a vehicle with three other adults.

“Presumably, these folks down here that were involved in this deal were enjoying the zoo,” said Sgt. Jake Becchina with the KCPD. “Whether it was on purpose or an accident, it doesn’t have to happen like this. It just really doesn’t and it’s really unfortunate.”

It happened just as the zoo was closing, without notice of many nearby witnesses since the gunshot went off inside the car.

The shooting outside the zoo was the city’s 120th homicide. As police processed the scene, officers had to respond to yet another shooting that was just a 10-minute drive away.

Homicide 121 was a woman in her 50s.

She was found dead inside her home on Ward Parkway Plaza and 81st Street after a family member called and reported she was having a medical issue.

However, police suspect foul play and that family member — a woman in her 20s — was taken into custody.

This weekend, federal agents with operation legend were on hand at every scene to assist in the investigation.

Police said it’s just like having extra detectives. They said that should be good news to the crime victims’ families.

“Because that’s more resources that are being brought to the table to help bring swift closure and justice, in the event that they identify a suspect and work toward getting them in custody,” Becchina said. “It’s just more resources that they’re bringing.”

The city’s 122nd homicide happened just before 7:30 tonight in the 2000 block of W. Pennway.

For all of this weekend’s homicides, there’s a reward of up to $25,000 for tips that lead to an arrest.

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