A police standoff in east Kansas City ended Wednesday afternoon, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Law enforcement agencies had been attempting to clear and secure a residence on the 2300 block of Blue Ridge Boulevard, near Blue Summit, for more than 18 hours.
The standoff began Tuesday night, when officers on the Kansas City Police Department’s SWAT team attempted to serve a search warrant with the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Three Kansas City Police officers received injuries during the incident that were not life-threatening. All three are reported to be recovering at a hospital, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol, whose Drug & Crime Control Division is investigating the shooting.
Police continued to treat the scene as an active standoff situation until Wednesday afternoon.
Our SWAT team and @FBIKansasCity SWAT has secured the house.
— MSHP Troop A (@MSHPTrooperA) March 1, 2023
A male was found deceased & a female was located alive with no injuries. She is in police custody.
Our investigators along @FBIKansasCity Evidence Recovery Team is processing the scene.
The investigation continues. pic.twitter.com/g0hCYgzgap
"This is more a slow methodical process at this point to render the house safe and secure and to put no one else in harms way,” said Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Andy Bell Wednesday morning.
As such, Bell said remotely operated equipment was used to help locate anyone left in the building.
Bell said one male was found dead at the scene on Wednesday afternoon and a female was found with no injuries. She is now in police custody.
Bell said two other people were taken into custody and detained Tuesday night.
SWAT teams entered the home after hours of surveillance, Bell said.
"(Missouri State Highway Patrol's) SWAT team, along with the FBI Kansas City SWAT team, did make a physical entry into the house, essentially to secure the residence — going methodically, room by room by room," he said. "That's where they found a deceased male and the female."
Bell said the woman surrendered with no altercation.
Now that the standoff is over, law enforcement will begin an investigation of the crime scene and of the officer-involved shooting.
Their primary focus is to identify the deceased man and the circumstances surrounding his death, Bell said.
"The FBI evidence recovery team is here along with (MSHP) investigators to process all the evidence and go through the house," he said. "We will be focused on the events surrounding the exchange of gunfire that involved the officers and the suspects."
Law enforcement officers were stationed for much of Wednesday's standoff outside of Lifegate Church on the corner of Westport Road and Blue Ridge Boulevard, near the scene.
Pastor Brian Gallardo said the church provided coffee, snacks, bathrooms and a space for prayer for those on the scene.
“When we first got here today we had to get permission to even get on our grounds," Gallardo said. "Since that time we’ve opened up our church doors to the law enforcement officers and have been serving them anyway we can."
"We’ll be here until they’re gone," he said.
Officers also blocked off Blue Ridge Boulevard at Westport Road.
The officers were shot while attempting to enter the residence around 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 28. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the officers returned fire after being shot but investigators still do not know if anyone in the residence was injured.
After the shooting took place, the Independence Police Department SWAT team took over the scene and attempted to make contact with the suspects inside the house. Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A and the Kansas City Police Department then took over for the IPD at the scene.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a tweet that the shooting was an example of the dangers of police work.
We’ve been reminded too much lately in Kansas City how dangerous police work can be. I am praying for a full recovery for our three officers injured this evening and that everyone on duty gets home to their families safely.
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) March 1, 2023
"We've been reminded too much lately in Kansas City how dangerous police work can be," the mayor tweeted. "I am praying for a full recovery four out three officers injured this evening and that everyone on duty gets home to their families safely."
This story is breaking and will be updated as new information arises.
