KANSAS CITY, Mo. — People in an east-side neighborhood awoke to the sound of gunfire on Sunday morning.
It was an officer involved shooting near 6th and Myrtle which left a man dead, and at two Kansas City police officers are on administrative leave.
Police are not saying how many officers were involved in the shooting, but witnesses say there were at least two officers who fired, killing 28-year-old Eugene N. Turner III, of Kansas City, Mo.
It all started when police received a call just before 5:00 in the morning, about a suspicious man with a gun.
Neighbors who live on 6th street, near Myrtle spent the Sunday before Labor Day following the incident hard at work, cleaning the street where the man died after being shot by the police.
James Nevels says there were so many shots, it sounded like a machine gun.
“I was coming from the bathroom getting some water and the next thing you know I hear multiple gunshots; around 17-18 of them,” said Nevels, a witness. “I know I heard a shot, I looked out my window and the next thing I know ‘brrr daw daw daw daw’. Like smoke and everything man, it was weird.”
Nevels said he was able to see the man who had been shot from inside his home.
“I look outside the window and there’s a guy laid out in the street. All his belongings scattered next to him,” he said.
A witness who would not go on camera says he saw the man running down the street then turning and shooting at police. Similar to the story told by Nevels.
“You hear a ‘pow’ and then maybe another ‘pow,’ then it opened up,” said Nevels. “He must have been shooting because when he turned around, they lit him up.”
The police department says that a situation like this isn’t always easy to address.
“Law enforcement is a difficult profession and situations arise where officer have to discharge weapons. I can tell you it’s something we don’t want to do but situations do arise,” said Detective Kevin Boehm, with the Kansas City Police Department.
It is the fourth officer involved shooting in our area since the shooting in Ferguson on August 9. Incidents in Ottawa, Kansas and Springfield, Missouri have happened in between.
Some may wonder if the controversy surrounding these high profile shootings influences officers to think twice before shooting.
“From the officers’ standpoint, I hope that isn’t the case. These decisions are split second. And any hesitation could cause injury to the citizens of the community or the officers involved. Hopefully their training kicks in, and it’s natural for them,” said Det. Boehm.
Police said the suspect fired several rounds at officers before being shot and killed. They said it is unknown why he was walking the streets carrying a gun.
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