Domestic terrorismThree killed in attacks on two Jewish centers in Kansas City
A man shouting “Heil Hitler” and uttering other neo-Nazi slogans killed at least three people at two separate Jewish centers in Kansas City. Police arrested the man Sunday afternoon at an empty elementary school, located near the scene of the second shooting. One of the dead is a 14-year-old boy. Witnesses say the attacker appeared to be a man in his early 70s. As he was walking through the JCC and the theater, he asked people whether they were Jewish before shooting them.
A man shouting “Heil Hitler” and uttering other neo-Nazi slogans killed at least three people at two separate Jewish centers in Kansas City. Police arrested the man Sunday afternoon at an empty elementary school, located near the scene of the second shooting.
One of the attacks occurred at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City where teenagers were auditioning for KC Superstar, a state-wide competition, at the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre located on the premises.
One of the dead is a 14-year-old boy.
Witnesses say the attacker appeared to be a man in his early 70s. As he was walking through the JCC and the theater, he asked people whether they were Jewish before shooting them.
The Daily Mail reports that the first shooting was reported at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, and the second shooting was reported at Village Shalom, which is an assisted living center at 5500 West 123rd St. Village Shalom is located a few blocks away from the JCC.
KPTV reports that the police said the screaming suspect was taken into custody at the Valley View Park Elementary School, which is a mile away from Village Shalom.
The police said several people are in medical care, and that two people were undergoing emergency surgery at Overland Park Regional Medical Center.
The Mail reports that Mike Metcalf, one of the witnesses, recalled the frightening scene at the Jewish Community Center.
“My son and I were walking into the Jewish Community Center this afternoon for an umpire clinic, around the westside and all of the sudden we heard a gunshot, a pretty loud gunshot,” said Metcalf.
“I turned to look to my right and I can see a man standing outside a car with a shotgun, what to me looked like a shotgun, and there was somebody laying on the ground.”
Metcalf said he yelled at his son to run as fast as he could.