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Why did a Missouri police sniper kill a 2-year-old girl?

Two years ago, a Kansas toddler was shot and killed by a Missouri police sniper. Why did the officer take the shot? A KCUR and Midwest Newsroom investigation reveals the chain of events that ended in the death of Clesslynn Crawford.

Clesslyn Crawford was shot in the head and killed during a hostage standoff in southeast Kansas. She was two years old.

For eight months, KCUR and the Midwest Newsroom have been investigating whether the sniper should have pulled the trigger. Editor Madeline Fox sat down with reporter Sam Zeff to discuss the story.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by David McKeel and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
David McKeel is a producer for KCUR Studios. Email him at David.McKeel@kcur.org
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