Kansas City News Blog

Obviously, the Kansas City Police Department has had a long 24 hours. It held a press release at 3 this afternoon to talk about yesterday’s shootout at Ward Parkway Center and has been e-mailing updates to media outlets all day.

We’re thinking someone might need a nap. One of those e-mails, from KCPD spokesman Darin Snapp, which we received at 11:52 a.m., read simply:

It should be noted that Patricia Reed is a white female, Leslie Ballew is a white female and Luke Nilges is a white male.

Yeah, we know: Before we knew that the shooter was white, everyone was wondering what damned race he was, because that’s how we are here in Kansas City.

To be fair, Snapp’s e-mail appeared to be a clarification of an earlier press release:

The dead woman discovered at the residence in the 3700 block of East 93rd street has been identified as 67 year old Patricia Reed.

The two victims found shot to death in the Ward Parkway mall parking lot
have been identified as 33 year old Leslie N. Ballew of KCMO, and 30
year old Luke A. Nilges of Shawnee, KS.

And for those of you who simply can’t get enough details about our town’s continual re-enactment of the old wild West, here’s what the cops sent out at 6:53 Sunday evening, recapping the day:

Officers were called Sunday, April 29th, at about 149 pm to the 3700 block of East 93rd street to check the welfare of an elderly woman. When the officers arrived, they discovered a dead woman inside the home. Officers were also told the woman's car was missing. The officers put out a description of the woman's car.

At about 311 pm, an officer on patrol saw the vehicle that was reported
missing from the woman's home. The officer stopped the car at 1311
Bannister road. When he stopped the car, the driver began shooting at
the officer. The officer returned fire but was struck in the arm by one
of the gunman's shots. The officer put out a description of the vehicle
to officers. It is unknown if any of the officer's shots struck the
man. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment. He was
treated and released. The officer is 44 years old and has been with the
department since January 1992.

At about 327 pm, we received a call regarding an outside disturbance
with shots fired at the Ward Parkway mall, 8600 Ward Parkway. While on
the way to the call, the officers received information that a man was
inside the mall with a long gun. Officers from Kansas City and Leawood,
along with security from the mall, confronted the man inside the common
area of the mall. During this confrontation, the man was shot to death
by the officers. It is believed the dead man is the one who shot the
officer on Bannister road. His vehicle was found in the parking lot.
Additionally, two people were found shot to death on each side of the
vehicle the man was driving.

Capt. Rich Lockhart
KCMO Police
816.234.5178