2-year-old killed by gunfire on Christmas Eve

By Betsy Webster

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    INDEPENDENCE, Missouri (KCTV) — When Independence Police rushed to a home near Independence and Glenwood Avenues at about 4:30 p.m. Friday about a 2-year-old boy who’d been shot, people at the home told them there had been a drive-by shooting.

At about 9 p.m. Friday, police said they had since determined the child was handling the gun when it discharged.

Neighbors were saddened and angered, saying the house where it happened has been a trouble spot for a while and they’ve called police many times before this.

“So devastating and so ‘I’m not surprised,’ which is very sad,” said neighbor Savannah Carter.

She has a 3-year-old son and a 2-month-old daughter.

“Oh, I’m extremely mad,” she said, when asked about the concern for her own kids. “I mean, I call, like I said, I call the cops all the time. I mean, what else can I do? Am I going to have to come up with a petition or what?”

KCTV5 asked Independence Police how many times they’ve been called to the address where the shooting happened. The department’s public information officer said dispatch logs showed 26 calls since February of last year. That averages to about 2 calls every month. One of those calls was a report of shots fired just a month ago.

Police said an adult fled from the home where the toddler was shot Friday afternoon. They are calling that individual a person of interest who they believe wrecked about four miles away, near Truman and Noland Roads, then took off on foot. They have identified the person and are working to take that person into custody. The child was pronounced dead several hours after the shooting.

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