In the early hours of September 7, 2024, the life of 20-year-old Michael B. Waylee, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Kansas City, Missouri. The events leading to his death began to unfold around 1 a.m. when a vehicle, later found to be driven by Waylee, was seen speeding westbound on 12th Street. After sideswiping another car at the Benton Boulevard intersection, his vehicle lost control and crashed into a parked car.
Following the collision, Waylee exited his
vehicle and fled the scene. It wasn't until approximately 4 a.m. that police, initially responding to the crash, discovered his unoccupied car, which appeared to have bullet holes. A search of the surrounding area led officers to a nearby apartment building, where they found Waylee unresponsive. He had sustained gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services.
Investigators believe that Waylee was shot before the crash occurred. They are exploring a potential link between his death and another shooting that happened around the same time just east of the crash site at 12th Street and Hardesty Avenue. In that incident, another man was shot and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The Kansas City Police Department is actively investigating Waylee's death as the city's 111th homicide of 2024.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with Michael B. Waylee's death, and authorities have not publicly identified any suspects. The investigation remains ongoing, and police have urged anyone with information regarding the shooting or the crash to come forward. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS Hotline that leads to an arrest.
