Independence police

Late Friday, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson released a statement saying that under Missouri law, the officer who shot and killed Maria Pike and her infant, Destinii, was justified in using deadly force.

The family of Maria Pike and her baby Destinii Hope rallied outside of Independence Police headquarters Sunday and demanded transparency from investigators. Independence Police released highly-edited footage of the incident last week.

Independence has not named the officer who fatally shot Maria Pike and her daughter Destinii Hope, after police responded to a domestic disturbance call on Nov. 7, 2024. The body camera footage shows just three minutes from the 20-minute incident.

Larry Acree faces two counts of first-degree murder as well as other charges including first-degree assault.

The shooting took place early Thursday afternoon in eastern Independence. One suspect is in custody.

Kansas City is pressuring the Mid-America Regional Council to utilize a menu option for 911 callers, rather than route all calls through the Kansas City Police Department. Officials hope to drastically improve the time it takes for KCPD to answer 911 calls.

More than a year after his killing, the family of Tyrea Pryor Sr. has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Independence and two of the officers involved in Pryor’s killing.

The city of Independence allocated millions in federal COVID relief funding to its police department — for things like sniper rifles and officer bonuses — but little to the health department. Plus: Kansas Jayhawks football has stirred up talk with their early-season success under coach Lance Leipold. But how long will it last?

The city of Independence, Missouri, spent $2 million of its ARPA funding on the police department, more than it allocated to any other department or project. The purchases were labeled as “community violence intervention” in its report to the U.S. Treasury.