KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A young pregnant woman and her unborn baby were killed in a double shooting late Friday afternoon in Kansas City.
The shooting happened shortly before 5:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of East Armour Boulevard.
When officers arrived, they found a man and a 25-year-old woman sitting in a car in front of an apartment building. They had both been shot.
A witness told NBC Action News that the man was shot in the neck and his girlfriend was shot in the face.
Saturday afternoon, Police identified the woman as 25-year-old Kansas City, Mo. resident Ashley D. Thomas.
Police said Thomas, who was 9 months pregnant, was pronounced dead at the scene. First responders turned their focus to saving her unborn child. They rushed her to a hospital, but the rescue effort came up short.
"It's tough whenever you're dealing with a murder, but when you have a murder involving someone who is pregnant and that far along, it is a tough murder to work for the detectives," said Capt. Rich Lockhart with the Kansas City Police Department.
The woman's parents showed up at the scene and spoke with NBC Action News while they waited to learn if their daughter had been involved in the shooting. They said she and her boyfriend had been together for about three years.
The man was also transported to a local hospital. As of Saturday evening, he remained in critical condition. Police say he is in his late teens to early 20’s.
The victim's mother was not aware of any threats against her daughter. However, she had worried about her safety after recently seeing a nearby shooting on the news.
A witness told police two men were running from the vehicle in a northeast direction after the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
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