The Clay County Prosecutor has filed charges against Joshua T. Rocha in the fatal shooting of a North Kansas City, Mo., police officer.

NKCPD officer and former Titan Security Avenue Angel Daniel Vasquez has died from gunshot wounds sustained while attempting to make a traffic stop Tuesday morning.

Just after 11 a.m., Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert for a gray Ford Taurus.

The officer was initiating a traffic stop just before 11 a.m. for expired temporary tags on the vehicle when the driver exited the vehicle and began firing on the officer three times with a rifle. Vasquez was transported with trauma to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased as a result of his injuries.

The driver, a white male, is in custody after turning himself in. No more suspect information will be released until charges are filed. The Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) will be handling the investigation.

On Wednesday, 24-year-old Rocha was charged with 1st Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action in the death of Vasquez. He is being held on a $2 million bond.

According to Probable Cause Statements, Rocha admitted to shooting Vasquez at 21st and Clay St. before fleeing westbound in his vehicle.

The suspect turned himself into the Clay County Annex building at 1901 NE 48th Street. According to the statement released Wednesday, he walked inside the building and advised an employee he “needed to turn himself in,” and when asked why, he stated, ” I committed a murder.”

Officers responded to the location and arrested the suspect without incident. During interrogation, he confessed shooting an officer and described the incident.

“Rocha stated he was on his way to a gun shop to purchase ammunition for his .300 Blackout rifle, which he had in his vehicle with him,” the statement reads.

Rocha admitted to making efforts to change his appearance by changing clothes, shaving, altering the appearance of his vehicle with spray paint and removing the temporary tags.

“When asked why, Rocha admitted he had intentionally shot the police officer and had done so because he did not want to go to jail or have his car towed,” the statement read.

KCPD’s Regional Crime Lab Firearms Section confirmed the cartridge cases at the scene were fired from the pistol located in Rocha’s vehicle.

A memorial fund has been organized to benefit the Vasquez family: https://unionly.io/o/kcfop/honoring-daniel-vasquez.