by Mary Rupert
Kansas City, Kansas, police on Monday released the names of four victims who died in a shooting at a bar around 1:27 a.m. Sunday near 10th and Central Avenue. Five other victims had gunshot wounds and were said to be in stable condition.
Acting Police Chief Michael York, in a news conference Monday, said the victims were Martin Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 58 years old, Francisco Anaya-Garcia, 34 years old, Alfredo Calderon, 29 years old, and Ebar Meza-Aguirre, 29 years old.
All of those who died were males.
“This was not a random shooting,” Mayor David Alvey said at the news conference. Police believe that an incident earlier in the evening, where a suspect was thrown out of the bar, was the reason that the shooting occurred later in the night.
“Yet it is no consolation to know that this was not a random event,” Mayor Alvey said. “Some children lost their parents, parents lost their children, friends lost friends, our city lost good neighbors.” He extended his deepest sympathies to victims and families.
This incident takes a toll on the community, he said.
Mayor Alvey said there have been efforts in recent years to make the city, including the Central Avenue area, safer, and it has been a productive partnership, with a 14.6 percent reduction in homicides citywide.
He said they are committed in protecting Central Avenue and all areas across the city.
“I challenge you, do everything in your power to claim your neighborhood as your home,” Mayor Alvey said. “Do not allow anyone else to take control of your neighborhood. You deserve a safe, beautiful and healthy place to raise your families, forge friendships, to establish a living, and with your commitment, and the commitment of the Unified Government, we can achieve our goal to create more peaceful, more prosperous neighborhoods.”
One suspect still at large
Two suspects, Hugo Villanueva-Morales, 29, and Javier A. Alatorre, 23, were charged with four counts of first-degree murder, York said. Bond was set at $1 million each. Alatorre was taken into custody Sunday in Kansas City, Missouri, while Villaneuva-Morales remained at large.
York said residents should not confront Villaneuva-Morales, but should call 911 if they see him. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, he said.
A dispute had occurred at the bar earlier that night, according to authorities, and the bar had placed a call to the police earlier in the evening concerning a threat made by a suspect. York said a police officer responded and went to the bar, but the suspects were not there at that time. York said he didn’t think police had information that the suspects would come back later.
When police responded to the shooting around 1:27 a.m. Sunday, it was a “very chaotic” scene, according to York.
The shooting itself was not a random act, Chief York said.
“It was not random, they returned and they did what they did,” York said.
York said that the suspects returned to the bar about two hours after one was ejected from the bar. They appeared to be specifically targeting individuals in the bar, he said. As they left, they continued to fire, he said. The police now have video of the shooting inside the bar, and the video is not being released to the public at this time, he said.
Still some questions in the case
The case now is with the Wyandotte County District Attorney, according to officials, and York said he was not able to answer all questions about the case at this time. He said some information about the case is still under investigation, and not able to be answered at this time. The mayor said how many drinks the suspects may have had at the bar is part of the investigation and not available at this time.
York said they did not have information about where the other suspect could be at this time. Also, they did not release information about the total number of shots fired.
One question concerned a report that a security guard did not show up on Saturday night at the bar. Alvey said he didn’t know if there was a security requirement for bars; it might be something they want to do for their own protection.
York also said there have been no problems previously at the bar.
York did not want to comment on whether both suspects had fired guns at the bar.
He said there is a task force here that investigates people who are felons and have guns.
In the last 27 months, violent crime has dropped about 4 percent, target crimes jumped about 7 percent, York said.
York said the police department wants to thank the community for all the assistance in identifying the suspects. This allowed the first suspect to be apprehended, he said. They still need help in apprehending the other suspect, he added. He also thanked the other agencies involved, including the ATF, FBI and Kansas City, Missouri, police.
York encouraged other witnesses they haven’t spoken with to contact the police or to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
Alvey expressed his thanks to police and firefighters, other law enforcement agencies and the Wyandotte Behavioral Health Network for offering to meet the mental health needs of the community and victims.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, who attended the news conference, said afterward that she was there to support Mayor Alvey, the first responders and the community.
