KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) – Authorities in Missouri are investigating after they said a newspaper sports reporter was found shot to death inside his car.
According to police in Kansas City, 50-year-old Dennis Sharkey was found dead Friday.
Officials said they are searching for the suspect involved in his death.
A report came in to the Kansas City Police Department around 7 p.m. Friday. When officers responded to the call, they said they found Sharkey’s vehicle at the barrier fence just north of 70th Street and Prairie View Road.
The suspect was nowhere to be found.
According to the report, Platte County Sheriff’s Captain Jeffrey Shanks said two vehicles stopped on the interstate for some sort of incident. The suspect is then believed to have gotten out of their vehicle before firing a single shot into Sharkey’s vehicle as he attempted to get away.
Shanks said they do not have any information on the suspect or the suspect vehicle. He said authorities are asking for the public’s help in tracking them down.
“The best information we can get is from anyone who is in the area,” he said. “Even if it just gets us started on a description of a possible suspect vehicle.”
Sharkey was a sports reporter for The Platte County Citizen, a local newspaper.
The newspaper’s staff offered their condolences to his family and shared a link to a GoFundMe.
“The Platte County Citizen staff are saddened by the loss of Dennis Sharkey, the Citizen’s sports reporter, who died by homicide Friday night,” the post stated.
Proceeds from the GoFundMe will be used to cover funeral expenses. The money will also be used to help support Sharkey’s grieving mother, who was left without her primary support after his death.
The investigation
A nearby business provided authorities with camera footage that showed two vehicles and three individuals stopping to help Sharkey in some capacity.
Shanks said they are trying to get what they can from cameras but for now, are relying on people’s point of view on Friday night.
“Any information that we can get, even if they want to leave it anonymously, we would appreciate it,” he said.
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