Missouri Police Officer Dies After Being Shot During Traffic Stop

A Missouri police officer died Tuesday after he was shot during a traffic stop by a suspect who then fled, officials said.

Officer Daniel Vasquez, 32, was attempting to stop a vehicle for expired temporary tags in North Kansas City on Tuesday morning when the car's driver shot the officer and drove away, Clay County Sheriff Will Akin said.

Vasquez was taken to the University of Kansas Health System. His death was announced about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday by the North Kansas City police department, where he had been an officer since 2021.

The suspect turned himself in to police in Chillicothe, about 70 miles (112.65 kilometers) north of Kansas City, after a Blue Alert had been issued for his car. No details about the suspect were released.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said Tuesday that he was "heartbroken," adding "All of us in Kansas City extend our sincere condolences to Officer Vasquez's family, his law enforcement brothers and sisters, and the people of North Kansas City."

North Kansas City Police Chief Kevin Freeman said Vasquez was the first North Kansas City police officer to die in the line of duty.

"He was a shining star in our department," Freeman said

Kansas City Police Chief Joseph Mabin in a statement offered condolences as well. "The loss of a police officer is a tragic event for an entire community, and we are grieving this loss with our neighbors in North Kansas City. Please join us in keeping them in your thoughts and prayers," he wrote.