KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A candlelight vigil was held Thursday night in honor of slain Kansas City, Kansas, Police Ofc. Hunter Simoncic.
Simoncic was killed early Tuesday morning when a suspect, identified as Dennis Mitchell III, allegedly intentionally struck Simoncic, who had deployed stop sticks to disable Mitchell’s Ford pickup truck that was fleeing other officers.
The vigil began just after 7:30 p.m. in front of the Unified Government City Hall, located at 701 N. 7th St. in KCK. You can watch the vigil in the video player below.
Follow our coverage below for updates.
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UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. | Marcos Moreno, Simonicic's little brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters of KCK, is mourning the loss of someone that he calls his "family."
UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. | Officials are wearing blue ribbons with a photo of Simoncic to honor him.
UPDATE, 7:05 p.m. | Motorcycles are lined up before tonight's vigil in KCK.
UPDATE, 6:35 p.m. | Candles and the program for tonight's vigil are sitting in containers before they are handed out.
UPDATE, 6:15 p.m. | An American flag is being raised in preparation for tonight's vigil.
UPDATE, 6 p.m. | KSHB 41's Ryan Gamboa is at the scene as the community prepares for tonight's vigil.
UPDATE, 5:30 p.m. | 7th Street in front of the Municipal Office Building from Ann Avenue to Barnett Avenue is now closed due to the upcoming vigil.
UPDATE, 5:15 p.m. | KSHB 41's Isabella Ledonne is on the scene in KCK before the vigil begins. Watch her reporting in the video player below.
UPDATE, 5 p.m. | The principal of the middle school where Simoncic attended said the town of Galesburg, Kansas, has been hit hard by a “season of loss.” KSHB 41's Lily O'Shea Becker has more in the video player below.
UPDATE, 4 p.m. | On Tuesday night, KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne spoke to a teacher at KCK's Banneker Elementary School, where Simoncic would volunteer his time to read to students. You can watch her report in the video player below.
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