Kansas City Star Counts Police Shooting Self-Defense As Homicide

Today, the newspaper is reporting the homicide count in error. 

Our TKC contention . . . 

The newspaper is counting two deadly police shootings as homicides when, in fact, suspects fired on law enforcement before they were killed as a result of their actions and in defense of other officers. 

Here's why that's important . . . Accuracy . . .

Allow us to explain . . .

Here at TKC we use the KCPD Blue Sheet to inform our reporting . . . Not because of fealty or love but for the sake of veracity.

About the info . . .

At the end of the year the blue sheet data is shared with the FBI and the U.S. Department Of Justice. Uniform Crime Reports are peer reviewed data rather than the subject of corporate journalism allegations and biased conclusions. 

Moreover . . .

To "convict" the police of homicide without a trial is sloppy journalism and a misrepresentation of facts.

We made this argument last year and the TV stations agreed with our contention. 

Right now the KCPD blue sheet reads 97 homicide, a murder in broad daylight on Friday pushes that number to 98. 

Tragically . . . 

KCMO will hit 100 homicides soon enough and the anti-gun newspaper is, ironically, jumping the gun in their Sunday spread.

Kansas City's spiraling homicide rate is hard to fathom. Read the victims' names | Opinion

It was only Jan. 8 when the first teenager, Amir Moore, was gunned down. And now 99 others have already been killed. | Opinion

Klymax Lounge reopens with mission to stop KC gun violence after May shooting killed 3

"This is how our city is. You just walk by and someone's on the ground from being shot," said Mario Williams, the lounge's owner, of the gun violence around the metro.

Even worse . . . 

In order to sell Sunday papers the Kansas City Star is willing to insult local police and distort data in order to spread misinformation. 

Right now we're the only news-y outlet that will correct this assertion. We hope more locals will step up and realize two things . . .

Yes, the local homicide count is this cowtown's most urgent crisis and deserves attention. 

And . . . Accuracy and correct data are of the utmost importance in this discussion.

You decide . . .