The early morning hours of July 19, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri, were disrupted by the sound of gunfire in the 5400 block of Prospect Avenue. Officers from the Kansas City Police Department were dispatched to the scene around 4:30 a.m. following reports of shots fired. While en route, the call was upgraded to a shooting. Upon arrival, first responders located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in a grassy area near the street.
Emergency medical personnel pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. He was identified as 45-year-old Ernest J. Scott.
Detectives immediately began processing the scene for evidence and canvassing the area for potential witnesses. Preliminary investigations revealed that the incident occurred just before police arrival. Authorities were able to locate surveillance footage from the vicinity that captured images of a suspect believed to be involved in the fatal shooting. In the days following the homicide, investigators released these images to the public, seeking assistance in identifying the individual.
By late July 2024, law enforcement officials reported that they had made progress in the case, thanks in part to tips received from the community. Police stated they had identified a suspect and were in the process of presenting their investigative findings to prosecutors to determine appropriate charges. The death of Ernest J. Scott marked the 80th homicide recorded in Kansas City for the year. A reward was offered for information leading to an arrest, though specific details regarding a formal arrest or the filing of charges were not immediately publicized in the initial reports following the identification of the suspect.
