At approximately 5 p.m. this afternoon, Kansas City, Mo., police officers were called to the area of Anderson and Norton Avenues on a vehicle that had struck a pole and caught fire.

Officers responded to the scene where firefighters were already on the scene and had located two victims inside the car. Both individuals were pronounced deceased.

Witnesses report hearing gunshots at roughly the same and several sound of shots calls were placed to 911 operators. The suspects fled the scene in a maroon vehicle, possibly a small SUV.

One neighbor who lives in the 300 block of S. Jackson Ave. was outside washing his car when he heard five shots and then a crash. That witness indicated that it was impossible to get the victims out of the car.

Detectives will remain on the scene and canvas the neighborhood for further witnesses and information, including to determine what led up to this shooting and where the vehicle had been coming from. They will also be working to gather a suspect description.

Sergeant Jake Becchina noted that the neighborhood is very proactive in fighting crime and he is confident the community will once again be involved in helping detectives.

“This is a residential area and it’s anticipated that many people may have witnessed these events,” Becchina said. “Detectives need to talk to anyone that saw anything near here tonight.”

Anyone with any additional information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS or the Homicide Squad at 816-234-5043.

There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

The victims are not able to be identified at this time and the medical examiner will make final determination of ID and any additional cause of death information.

Update from March 2 at 4:30 p.m.: “This case remains under investigation today,” Becchina said. “Detectives are working on contacting witnesses and working to piece together what led up to the events that preceded the crash.”

Based on witness accounts, detectives believe that a suspect or suspects fired multiple rounds at the vehicle along Anderson near Norton.

The victims will have to be identified by the medical examiners, as the car was significantly burned as a result of the crash/fire. This may take some time, according to KCPD. Medical examiners will make final determinations on cause of death, as well. Whether it is gunfire or crash related, the case deaths will be investigated as homicides.