Kansas police officers, suspects injured in shooting during undercover fentanyl bust

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV/Gray News) - An investigation is underway after three Kansas City, Kansas, police officers and three suspects were shot Wednesday afternoon.

The three officers from the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department (KCKPD) who were shot all have serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department (KCPD) is handling the investigation. The KCKPD asked them to do so. It is customary for an outside agency to investigate officer-involved shootings. The information below comes from both agencies, however.

On Wednesday, officers were following up on an investigation from a few days ago that involved fentanyl dealers. They were undercover and were trying to purchase fentanyl pills as part of that follow-up.

Tactical officers were in the area when they tried to stop a vehicle, which had the suspects from their investigation inside. Once the vehicle stopped and they tried conducting an arrest, gunfire erupted from the suspects’ vehicle.

The KCKPD officers exchanged gunfire with the suspects.

According to the KCPD, three adult male suspects were injured. They also have non-life-threatening injuries.

Once the KCPD’s investigation is complete, detectives will submit the case file to the Wyandotte County, Kansas, District Attorney’s Office.

The entrance to the University of Kansas Hospital was blocked by police following the shooting. Multiple KCKPD vehicles could be seen coming and going, but normal operations at the hospital continued and visitors were being accommodated.

“It’s difficult to say at this point,” associate chief medical officer Dr. Sean Kumer answered when asked about how long he anticipated the officers to remain hospitalized. “There are various injuries. Some are less serious than others and there’s the medical teams that are certainly still assessing and it’s very early. Can’t tell at this point. Some of the folks are still going to be undergoing some diagnostic testing.”

The doctor also said the officers are stable and able to converse with the medical team treating them.

“The law enforcement community and the first responder community come together in a situation like this. This is really hard on the police officers. It’s hard on their families. It’s hard on the medical staff here treating the folks that have been injured. So, it’s an emotional time. I am very familiar with the folks at the agency involved. They’re going to get support from lots of places, but it’s super hard for everybody involved, for the officers that are injured, and for the people that care about them,” Chief Brad Deichler, of the University of Kansas Health System, said.

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