KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A young man is in critical condition after being hit by a car while in the street with fireworks early Saturday morning.
KCMO police said it happened on Askew Avenue near Independence Avenue.
FOX 4 went to the home listed on the police report for the incident, but no one answered the door. So it remains unclear whether the victim lived in the neighborhood or was just visiting.
Whether it was his appearance or size, the victim was thought by many people in the neighborhood to be a child or teenager. But police said he was, in fact, a 26-year-old man whose name they have yet to release.
Police said the man was either shooting off or cleaning up fireworks near the street when another man leaving the area accidentally put his car into reverse, instead of drive, and ran him over at a high rate of speed.
“I thought it was a firework accident at first,” said Amanda Villegas. “Then I saw the car parked on the side of the street still running and everybody started fighting. It was just chaos. A lady over there was saying ‘Oh my God! Oh my God.'”
At last check, police said the man was in critical condition.
Although no charges have been filed, investigators are working to determine if alcohol played a role in what happened.