KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Independence Police Department has concluded that one of the two men injured Jan. 30, 2018, during an officer-involved shooting “was present at the scene, but was not engaged in wrongdoing.”
According to a release sent Friday, Independence police were responding to a disturbance at Dollar General Store, 10601 E. 23rd St.
Arriving officers “observed two armed subjects involved in an altercation with each other,” the release said.
One of the subjects, Kevin Hellebuyck, shot at police. He was subsequently shot and died from his injuries two weeks later at an area hospital.
Michael Becker, the other subject involved in the altercation, also was shot, but the Independence police investigation has cleared him of any crime related to the incident.
A witness at the time told 41 Action News that Becker had come to the store to confront Hellebuyck and prevent him from entering the store, where his family was inside.
He complied with police commands after their arrival but was shot anyway, according to a witness.
Aspects of the investigation, including an internal affairs investigation, remain under active investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available, according to the department’s release.
