KANSAS CITY, MO — Kansas City police are investigating a homicide after officers found a man shot dead in a South Kansas City parking lot on Saturday afternoon.
The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department said officers were sent to Longview Road east of Blue Ridge Boulevard around 3:15 p.m. after a report of a dead body. When they arrived, they found a man lying in the lot with a gunshot wound. EMS personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Police identified the victim as 33-year-old Derrick Jones. Investigators have not said what led to the shooting, and no suspect information has been released.
Officers responded after a report of a dead body near Longview Road
The call sent officers to a parking lot in the South Kansas City area, east of Blue Ridge Boulevard. Police have not publicly described the business or property where the body was found, but the location sits in a busy south-side corridor that includes commercial areas and residential streets.
According to police, the first indication of trouble came in the form of a report about a dead body rather than a shooting call. That means investigators had to sort out what happened after arriving, including whether the man had been there for some time before being discovered.
At this point, police have only confirmed that the victim had been shot. They have not said how long he may have been in the parking lot before officers reached the scene.
Detectives are collecting evidence and speaking with witnesses
Homicide detectives are now working to reconstruct the moments before the killing. Police said they are collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses in an effort to determine how the shooting unfolded and who may have been involved.
No arrests have been announced, and investigators have not identified a person of interest. Police also have not released any information about a possible motive.
In cases like this, detectives typically look for surveillance video, physical evidence and witness accounts that can help establish a timeline. Kansas City police have said only that the death is being handled as a homicide investigation.
No suspect information has been released and no one is in custody
As of the latest update, police said they do not have suspect information and no one is in custody. That leaves the investigation in its early stages, with officers still trying to determine whether the shooter and victim knew one another or whether the attack was random.
Authorities have also not said whether the gunfire happened in the parking lot itself or whether Jones was moved there afterward. Those details remain unknown while detectives continue their work.
The Kansas City police statement gives no indication that any other injuries were reported at the scene. For now, the case remains open and active.
The death adds to a familiar burden on Kansas City homicide detectives
Homicide cases in Kansas City often begin with limited information, especially when a victim is found after the shooting rather than during it. That makes witness interviews and on-scene evidence especially important in the first hours after the discovery.
Police have not said whether this incident is connected to any other crime in the area. They have also not shared a description of the suspect or a vehicle, if one was involved.
Because the victim was found in public view, detectives may be hoping nearby residents or motorists saw something before or after the shooting. Even small details, such as a suspicious car or a person leaving the area, can become important in a homicide case.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers
Kansas City police are asking anyone with information about the killing to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS. Investigators did not give a deadline for when tips might be most useful, but early information can often help narrow the timeline and identify possible witnesses.
Anyone who may have been in the area around Longview Road and Blue Ridge Boulevard Saturday afternoon could have information that helps detectives. Police have not said what specific evidence they still need, only that they are continuing to piece together what happened before Jones was found.
For now, the department is treating the case as a homicide while it works to answer the basic questions of who shot Jones, why it happened and who may be responsible.
What investigators have confirmed so far
- Officers responded around 3:15 p.m. Saturday to a report of a dead body.
- The scene was a parking lot on Longview Road east of Blue Ridge Boulevard.
- Police found 33-year-old Derrick Jones with a gunshot wound.
- EMS personnel declared Jones dead at the scene.
- Police are investigating the death as a homicide.
- No suspect information has been released and no one is in custody.
The case remains under investigation as detectives continue gathering evidence and speaking with witnesses.
