Man killed in shooting on Kansas City street. Police search for person who fled in pickup

Update: Police have identified the deceased as William Bradford, 68, of Kansas City.

A man is dead after shots were fired during an argument Thursday morning in the North Town Fork Creek neighborhood of Kansas City, a police spokeswoman said. Investigators are searching for the victim’s Ford F-150 pickup truck, which was taken after the confrontation, according to police.

Officers responded to the shooting just before 10:30 a.m. in the 5400 block of College Avenue, said Officer Alayna Gonzalez with the Kansas City Police Department.

Arriving officers found a man in the middle of the street who had been shot and was unresponsive. Gonzalez said emergency medical workers responded to the shooting and declared the victim dead.

A preliminary investigation found that the victim and another man had been arguing. The altercation escalated, and shots were fired, striking the victim, Gonzalez said. She said the victim and suspect were familiar with each other and were outside of a home when the confrontation happened.

One family member at the scene said the victim was robbed and his vehicle was stolen, and Gonzalez confirmed the victim was the registered owner of a burgundy Ford F-150 pickup truck that was taken after the shooting.

Police released a photo of a burgundy F-150 with tan undermarkings Thursday afternoon they said they were looking for and said the vehicle was a four-door truck with the Missouri license plate number 8FHB06.

Crime scene investigators and detectives were interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence Thursday afternoon. Family members showed up too, but knew few details about what had happened.

The killing is Kansas City’s 119th homicide of the year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. By this time in 2023, which was Kansas City’s deadliest year , there were 148 killings. Last year, the city ended the year with a total of 185 homicides.

Anyone with information about the killings is asked to call the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS (8744). Information submitted anonymously to the hotline can earn a reward of up to $25,000. Witnesses can also contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043.

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