In the early morning hours of Saturday, February 27, 2016, the life of Barry J. Mosley, a 30-year-old Black / African American male, was tragically cut short on the streets of Wichita, Kansas. Just before 1 a.m., residents in the area of Ninth and Wabash heard the sound of gunshots, prompting calls to 911. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Mr. Mosley lying unresponsive in the street, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene shortly after 1 a.m. At the time of his death, he lived approximately two miles from where his body was found.
The initial investigation into the shooting was met with immediate challenges for the Wichita Police Department. Despite the 911 calls reporting the gunshots, authorities were unable to locate any witnesses to the actual shooting. The callers who reported the incident were more than a block away from where Mr. Mosley was killed. This lack of eyewitnesses left investigators with very few leads to follow. In the days following the homicide, police publicly stated they had no suspects and no clear picture of the events that led to the fatal encounter.
As the investigation continued, the case remained unsolved. With no suspects identified and no witnesses coming forward, Barry J. Mosley's death became the city's fifth homicide of the year. The Wichita Police Department and Crime Stoppers have repeatedly appealed to the public for any information that might lead to an arrest. The case is now considered a cold case, a lingering mystery for a family and community seeking answers and justice for a life taken too soon. Authorities have encouraged anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact them.
