Jul 04, 2020

Man charged in shooting that injured Kansas City officer, bus driver

Posted Jul 04, 2020 2:00 PM
Rogers photo Jackson County
Rogers photo Jackson County

JACKSON COUNTY —A 25-year-old Kansas City man has been charged in the shootings of a bus driver and a Kansas City Police officer on a city ATA bus on Thursday morning in the Northeast area of Kansas City, near Independence Avenue and Hardesty, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced Friday.

Justin A. Rogers faces Assault 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, Kansas City police responded about 10:40 a.m. on Thursday to the area of Independence Avenue and Hardesty. A Kansas City police officer and the bus driver had been injured by gunfire from a suspect on a city bus.

Witnesses told police the suspect had taken a wallet from an intoxicated man at a bus stop before he got on the bus. The bus driver, after the suspect got on the bus, called for a supervisor and then police arrived. The suspect shot at the first officer to get on the bus and another responding officer shot the suspect. The driver was also hit by gunshots from the suspect.

Prosecutors requested a $200,000 cash-only bond.

This incident was one of two involving a Kansas City Police officer shot on Thursday. Later in the day an officer was shot in the head while responding to a call at a McDonald’s near 31st and Van Brunt. In that incident, the suspect died.