Man’s death Wednesday no longer thought to be homicide, Kansas City police say

The death of a man found injured outside of a vehicle that had crashed into a wall Wednesday night might not be Kansas City’s latest homicide as originally thought, police said in a news release.

Initially police thought the man found just before 11 p.m. in the 3300 block of East 30th Street had been critically injured in a shooting prior to the crash, said Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department.

But after the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office examined the victim’s body, it was determined that the victim had not been shot, Drake said. Further investigation revealed that the victim may have suffered from a medical emergency which caused the crash and his injuries.

The man’s death is still being investigated, but not as a homicide, Drake said.

Officers had responded to the area on reports of a shooting. About the same time, callers reported that someone had been injured in a crash. Arriving officers found the wreck as well as the man who had injuries “consistent with gunshots.” The victim was taken to a hospital where he died a few hours later.

Police have not released the man’s name.