KCK neighborhood reacts to police shooting while suspect still at large
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KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV/KSMO) — An Overland Park police mobile command post arrived to 39th and County Line Road at 8 p.m. Tuesday, more than four hours after an officer was shot just across the city limits of KCK, suggesting it would be a long night.
“To have something like this happen, it’s crazy,” said Daniel Mataya, whose home sits just two houses north of the crime tape.
He was not home at the time of the shooting. His wife was, but didn’t hear the shots over her television. She didn’t know something was wrong until she heard all the sirens.
“I was shocked, just shocked,” said Jennifer Mataya. My neighbors told me there was three gunshots that they heard.”
“We don’t hear too many gunshots around here,” added Josh Mendenhall, whose house barely skirted the crime tape.
KCK Police say there had been multiple hit-and-run accidents earlier in the day. They had a description of the suspect vehicle and shortly before 4 p.m. one of their officers spotted a car matching the description. He pursued, then the car crossed over County Line Road.
Police say the officer stopped pursuing at that point, but the road was a dead end. Police say the man got out of the car and exchanged gunfire with the officer, then got back in his car and took off.
Police later found the car abandoned about three miles away in the residential Argentine neighborhood at 43rd and Dixie Avenue, just a few blocks from 42nd and Metropolitan.
Police would not say who shot first or if the suspect was also hit but said the officer was hit in the arm and is expected to be okay.
“This was an instance where, yes, we knew this person was involved in a couple hit-and-runs, but I’m sure when the officer stopped his vehicle he had no idea what was going to happen in the next few seconds,” said KCK Police Spokeswoman Nancy Chartrand. “That is something officers live with every day and something I think everybody needs to take into consideration any time you have involvement with an officer.”
The suspect was still at large as of 10 p.m. Tuesday. Neighbors said they weren’t scared. They all said they were glad the officer was going to be okay, but some said it was unsettling nonetheless.
“It’s just the fact that it happened,” said Daniel Mataya. ”It’s not right. It’s frustrating. I just wish people would take a little bit more time to think and do what’s right.”
Police do not yet have a description of the man to share. KCTV5 checked the tags on the abandoned car and saw they were temporary tags, which are harder to trace than regular ones.
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