KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Officers shot and killed a man early Friday morning in Kansas City’s Old Northeast area.
Police said they got a 911 call around 1 a.m. about a person walking around with a rifle near 6th and Gladstone. When officers arrived, they approached the man and tried to get him to drop his weapon.
“The officers gave the male verbal commands to drop his weapon, and he refused. During this time, an officer attempted to use less lethal force by firing bean bag rounds at the man, this proved unsuccessful,” Officer Doaa El-Ashkar with KCPD said.
According to El-Ashkar, officers followed the suspect to 8th and Gladstone while they continued to tell him to drop his gun, but he still refused.
A witness told police they saw the man turn and point his rifle at officers, and that’s when multiple officers fired their weapons.
The man was treated at the scene and taken to an area hospital where he died. He was later identified as 37-year-old Joshua Downing.
Detectives canvassed the area for more witnesses.
The officers are on leave during the investigation.
