KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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Community members are calling on the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department for solutions following the death of 24-year-old Bruce Charles Thomas, who died July 1 after a KCKPD officer shot him.
It was the third officer-involved shooting in three consecutive months in the city.
Thomas was a familiar face to his neighbor, Jennifer Crone, who lived across the street from him for over a year.
"Bruce sat outside every day with our kids playing basketball with our kids,” Crone said. “My daughter ran up to him to say hi to him.”
Crone described Thomas as a “really sweet guy” whom she could “ask for anything.”
"He was active constantly,” Crone said. “You would see him every morning riding up and down the street or playing basketball. He was active with all the kids.”
Thomas’ former basketball coach shared a group photo of Thomas and his son on their AAU team.
As for the neighborhood, he was a staple figure.
"He would sit outside all day in that wicker chair,” Crone said. “And you'd see him all day throughout the day, and he'd make music, and he'd be rapping…I literally called him Uncle Bruce because he was just always there.”
According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, police were called to the scene after a family member said Thomas was threatening them.
Officers found that the caller had minor injuries from being attacked.
The KBI report said Thomas then came at officers with a knife, and one officer shot him.
A KCKPD spokesperson said the department could not discuss the incident further, since it is under a KBI investigation and directed all questions to that agency.
Crone's husband witnessed the shooting's aftermath firsthand.
He had just put their 3-year-old daughter down for a nap when he walked outside and saw two officers.
He went back inside to get his shoes, and when he walked back out, he heard gunshots.
Crone's Blink camera video captured officers arriving after the shooting.
"It was completely devastating,” Crone said. “We don't live on a dangerous block. The kids run up and down the street all day because everybody's family.”
Crone said the shooting shook the entire neighborhood.
"Same thing with all the kids in the neighborhood; they’re all heartbroken,” Crone said. "There's a whole block of people that are hurt, and we sit and watch that porch every day, knowing that he's literally supposed to be sitting there. I know it seems like he was just a neighbor, but he really wasn’t.”
Crone said she never saw Thomas as a threat.
"I talked to him 100 times, and I never got the notion he was someone I needed to be afraid of," Crone said. "It's sad that that had to be how his story ended," Crone said.
KBI says KCK's recent officer-involved shootings involved victims holding a spoon and throwing knives.
Police accountability advocate Sheila Albers, whose 17-year-old son was shot and killed by a police officer in 2018, is committed to preventing future losses.
"The work I do now really has nothing to do with my son. It is really about preventing future loss of life," Albers said.
"If we can save people and help people get them to services and send police officers home safely, then that's a win for everybody.”
Albers acknowledged the difficulty of public safety roles. such as police officers.
"Law enforcement, they have an extraordinarily difficult job," Albers said. "I do think there are situations where lethal use of force is appropriate, not very often, yes, but there are times when, especially if someone is armed with a gun.”
She said the three shootings in three consecutive months got her attention, and that all seemed to involve someone experiencing a mental health crisis.
"I wanted a better understanding of what those services looked like and what systems are in place to help people," Albers said.
Albers filed three open records requests with Wyandotte County and learned that the Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, has one fully staffed officer and two co-responders, operating Monday through Friday.
KCKPD confirmed those numbers, adding that the unit also includes a CIT K9.
The department said recruits receive CIT education in the police academy, and once established, officers receive CIT certification training.
KCKPD also hosts one advanced CIT course per year, with refresher training conducted during annual in-service officer training.
By comparison, Albers said Overland Park's CIT team has 10 members — five officers and five co-responders.
A KCKPD spokesperson said budget constraints have left the department operating below staffing levels in a number of areas, preventing it from expanding staffing for a variety of units, including CIT.
"My gut reaction was, 'This is grossly inadequate,'” Albers said. “When people are in crisis, they don't choose to do it Monday through Friday, 9-5. It won't even come close to meeting the need, in any community, not just Wyandotte County.”
Albers is calling for increased CIT staffing, 24/7 co-responders, and transparency through body-worn footage.
"I do think we can decrease the number of situations where lethal force is used, we will provide better mental health services, provide the appropriate training for police officers, and partner with each other," Albers said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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