5 hurt by gunfire at teen party

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police are investigating a late-night shooting at a south Kansas City banquet hall that left five people injured Saturday.

Authorities said the shooting occurred during a teen concert at Tropical Palms Banquet Hall, 5614 E. 87th St., just after 11:30 p.m. The hall had been booked for an "All Gold" theme party promoted to teenagers.

Upon arrival, police found three people with gunshot wounds, one critically injured.

Two additional shooting victims later arrived at area hospitals, transported by private vehicles with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Investigators said the shootings started in the hall, where at least one person was injured. It then moved to the parking lot, where the other victims were hit.

One witness told 41 Action News the club was overcrowded when the shooting began, with at least 300 people inside the small building. That person also said security personnel had not used metal detectors to check attendees for weapons, as is commonly done at such parties.

The owners of the banquet hall and the party's promoters could not be reached for comment.

Police did not provide any suspect information, but multiple security cameras in the parking lot and just inside the venue could provide valuable information to investigators.