On the early morning of Sunday, April 10, 2022, police officers in Kansas City, Missouri, were dispatched to the West Bottoms area following reports of gunfire. Around 1:15 a.m., first responders arrived near the intersection of Union Avenue and Mulberry Street, where they discovered two adult males on the sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the victims was identified as Creighton Goddard, a 20-year-old White male who was found unresponsive at the scene.
Emergency medical personnel transported him to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, but despite medical intervention, he succumbed to his wounds later that day.
The second victim, whose identity was not publicly released, was also transported to the hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. This surviving victim was able to speak with investigators, stating that they were on the street when unknown suspects opened fire on them. The incident prompted a homicide investigation by the Kansas City Police Department, marking the city's 37th homicide of that year. Detectives and crime scene personnel processed the area for evidence, but details regarding the motive or the events leading up to the shooting remained unclear in the immediate aftermath.
Creighton Goddard was a resident of Olathe, Kansas, who had been born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was a 2020 graduate of Olathe East High School and was employed at Reed Construction at the time of his death. Known for his interest in the outdoors, he enjoyed activities such as fishing and working on cars. His death was part of a violent weekend in the city, occurring just days after other major local incidents, contributing to a period of elevated violent crime rates in the area.
Despite the ongoing efforts of homicide detectives, no arrests were immediately made in connection with the double shooting. Authorities appealed to the public for assistance, offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest. The investigation remained open as police sought leads to identify the individuals responsible for the attack in the historic West Bottoms district.
