Platte County prosecuting attorney Eric Zahnd has died, the sheriff’s office confirmed Thursday afternoon.
The Platte County Courthouse closed at about 2:15 p.m. for a death investigation. Captain Jeffrey Shanks with the Platte County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Zahnd was the deceased. Shanks said there was no threat to the public.
The courthouse remained closed Friday, and no details have been provided regarding the circumstances of Zahnd's death.
On Friday afternoon, the Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed the Platte County Sheriff had requested on June 15 that the patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control investigate criminal allegations against Zahnd, and said that investigation is still considered active and ongoing.
Zahnd, the county's longest-serving prosecuting attorney, took office in 2002. The 53-year-old announced in April that he planned to retire at the end of this year.
Mark Gibson, a long-time first assistant to Zahnd, has been named interim prosecuting attorney for Platte County.
Under state law, Gibson will serve in the position until Gov. Mike Kehoe appoints a permanent replacement.
"Eric will be remembered for his strong leadership and dedication to public safety and the rule of law, having established best practices used by prosecutors across the state," Kehoe said on social media Thursday.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said in a statement that she held Zahnd in the highest regard.
"Eric was a true patriot, a person of remarkable character and integrity, and a public servant who cared deeply about his community," she wrote. "We are very grateful for his dedication to public safety, the rule of law, and Platte County."
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas thanked Zahnd in a statement: "Our community is grateful for the decades of hard work he performed to keep us safe.”
