In the late afternoon of May 4, 2020, Charles Shirley, a 41-year-old man, was fatally shot while sitting in his vehicle in Kansas City, Missouri. The incident occurred around 5:20 p.m. in the circle drive of the Cold Storage Lofts, located at East 3rd and Oak Street in the city's historic River Market neighborhood. Witnesses reported seeing two men approach Shirley's car before one of them opened fire, striking him multiple times.
Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, but Shirley was pronounced dead inside his vehicle.
The assailants, described as two Black males, fled the scene immediately after the shooting. One suspect was reportedly wearing all black with gray shorts, while the other was also dressed entirely in black. They were seen escaping in a blue Toyota Camry, which was later determined to be a rental car. The Kansas City Police Department launched a homicide investigation and publicly released surveillance footage of the two suspects, appealing for any information that could lead to their identification and arrest. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for tips that could help solve the case.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement, including the recovery of the rental vehicle, the case remains unsolved, and no arrests have been made. The investigation has been hampered by a lack of substantial leads in tracking the suspects' movements after they left the area. Shirley, a father of four who had recently launched his own clothing line, was remembered by his family as a loving and kind individual. His death marked a tragic parallel to the unsolved killing of his younger brother, who was also shot to death in a car in Kansas City 16 years prior. The community continues to seek justice for Charles Shirley, holding vigils in his memory.
