Kansas City, Missouri residents were horrified this weekend after a shooting left three people dead and another two injured.
According to KSHB, the violence erupted early on Sunday morning at the Klymax Lounge nightclub, an establishment which was formerly known as Club 42.
Responding officers arrived at the scene at around 1:25 a.m., whereupon they discovered five individuals who had been struck by gunfire.
Two of the victims passed away at the scene while a third died after being taken to hospital. One of the surviving victims is said to be in stable condition while the other is receiving critical care.
KSHB reporter Caroline Hogan characterized the atmosphere surrounding the Klymax Lounge as being "tense." Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté put out a tweet regarding what had happened.
Update from KCPD: Early Morning Shooting Leaves Three Dead and One in Critical Condition
Officers responded on a shooting near 43rd and Indiana. Upon arrival multiple victims were located.@KansasCity @JacksonCountyMO @kcpolice @JCSheriffOffice pic.twitter.com/psp54jAuxE
— Darryl Forte' (@sheriffforte) May 21, 2023
Meanwhile, The Kansas City Star cited a statement from Kansas City Police Department spokeswoman Donna Drake as saying that all five of the shooting victims were adults.
A local resident who wished to remain anonymous told the paper that she initially heard roughly 10 gunshots which were then followed by another five shots after a short pause.
"It’s really sad. It’s something that’s continuously going on," said the woman, who described seeing club patrons stepping over the body of a female victim.
The Star noted that this tragedy was not unique, as "[t]here have been dozens of victims of shootings at Kansas City area nightclubs and bars in recent years."
It recalled a 2019 mass shooting by two gunmen at the Tequila KC Bar in which four people lost their lives and another five were wounded.
Meanwhile, 15 people were wounded and one man was killed three months later when a shooter opened fire on a crowd of people waiting to enter the 9Ultra Lounge.
While violent crime has been on the rise in recent years, Fox News reported in January that the problem is disproportionately concentrated in specific areas.
It pointed to data from the Crime Prevention Research Center showing that 73% of all murders took place in just 5% of counties. Meanwhile, 52% of all counties reported no murders at all.
