KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two individuals have died in a tragic collision on northbound Interstate 435, which the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department has linked to a series of armed robberies that took place overnight.
Early Tuesday morning, I-435 at 210 Highway was shut down for several hours as investigators examined the deadly crash. According to the KCPD, the sequence of events began at 2:34 a.m. when officers responded to an armed robbery at a convenience store on NE Barry Road. A victim reported that an unknown male suspect had entered the store with a weapon and demanded money.
Later, at around 3:25 a.m., officers were called to a gas station on NW 64th Street where a second victim reported being robbed at gunpoint. A third armed robbery occurred around 4:13 a.m. at another convenience store on Birmingham Road. In all three instances, the same suspect and vehicle were identified.
Following the pursuit of the vehicle, the suspect drove south in the northbound lanes of I-435, resulting in a collision near 210 Highway that claimed the lives of two individuals. At the time of the article’s publication, the victims’ identities had not been released, and the investigation was ongoing.
Nearly five hours after the crash, all lanes of I-435 were reopened to drivers. The KCPD has stated that the investigation is ongoing.