On Tuesday, a tragic incident unfolded in Kansas City when a police officer was fatally struck by a fleeing suspect while attempting to deploy stop sticks during a high-speed pursuit. The officer, Hunter Simoncic, was 26 years old and had recently graduated from the Kansas City Police Department’s academy in 2023. The incident occurred on State Avenue around early Tuesday morning when Simoncic and another officer were attempting to stop a driver who had evaded law enforcement.
The suspect, Dennis Mitchell III, 31, has been charged with capital murder, fleeing from police, and criminal possession of a weapon, following the fatal collision. The incident began around 12:30 a.m. when officers responded to a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, they found an unconscious man in a truck on Everett Avenue, who then woke up and fled, sparking a pursuit.
Mitchell allegedly switched to another stolen truck during the chase and continued to evade police. While pursuing Mitchell, Simoncic and another officer exited their vehicle to deploy stop sticks. As Mitchell approached, he reportedly drove his second truck into Simoncic, causing him to be fatally injured. Simoncic was taken to the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Mitchell was later taken into custody and transported to the same hospital, though he was released shortly after and jailed.
Following the incident, the Kansas City Police Department expressed deep grief, noting the loss of a dedicated officer who had previously worked at the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center and volunteered at Benjamin Banneker Elementary School. His funeral is set for Wednesday, September 3, and the department has also acknowledged the recent death of another officer, Elijah Ming, who was shot and killed in the line of duty.