Crime
50-year-old Dennis Sharkey killed after shooting on I-29 near NW 72nd Street in Platte County
Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal shooting that occurred Friday night, prompting a partial closure of Interstate 29 in Platte County.
The incident was reported shortly after 7 p.m. on the off-ramp of I-29 and Northwest 72nd Street.
According to the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD), officers responded to a call about a vehicle that had veered off the roadway.
Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle south of Northwest 72nd Street, off the highway on the southbound side. The car had come to rest against a barrier fence on an embankment along the outer road.
Inside the vehicle, police discovered 50-year-old Dennis A. Sharkey, a resident of Liberty, Missouri. Sharkey appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds and was unresponsive.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the shooting likely occurred while Sharkey was driving southbound on I-29, at or just north of the Northwest 72nd Street area. The motive and circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
Detectives from KCPD are working to piece together the events that led to this tragic incident. Authorities are urging anyone who was in the area of I-29 between Barry Road and Northwest 72nd Street at the time of the shooting to come forward if they heard or saw anything unusual.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477. All tips remain confidential, and your information could assist law enforcement in resolving this case.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.
Crime
One Dead, One Injured in Apparent Self-Defense Shooting Outside Cali Rose 15 Kitchen in Lakeland
On Thursday, April 24, 2025, at approximately 9:31 p.m., officers with the Lakeland Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at Cali Rose 15 Kitchen, formerly known as Rush Hour Bar & Grill, located at 1323 Ariana Street in Lakeland.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that two individuals—identified as Jesse Banks, 28, of Lakeland, and Nicholas Lue, 26, of West Palm Beach—had sustained gunshot wounds.
Both men were transported to Lakeland Regional Health for emergency treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Banks was pronounced deceased.
Lue was stabilized and remains hospitalized in recovery.
Preliminary findings from witness interviews and physical evidence at the scene indicate that the incident began as a verbal altercation between Banks, Lue, and another individual, identified as Tre D’Shon Huntly, 24, of Lakeland.
The confrontation occurred just outside the restaurant’s front entrance.
According to investigators, the dispute escalated when Banks physically struck Huntly in the head.
At that moment, a male standing just inside the business opened the front door in defense of Huntly.
Banks and Lue then allegedly turned their aggression toward this second individual, producing a firearm and pointing it at him.
In response, Huntly drew a handgun and discharged several rounds, striking both Banks and Lue.
A handgun was later recovered from Banks at the scene.
Huntly remained at the location and fully cooperated with detectives during the investigation.
Based on the information available, it appears Huntly acted in self-defense.
No criminal charges have been filed at this time.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is urged to contact Detective Neal Robertson at 863-834-6971 or via email at neal.robertson@lakelandgov.net.