Criminal activity near Rockhurst Wednesday prompts usage of Rockalerts

Ryan Crawford, Staff Writer

Story updated Friday at 10:30 a.m. with information from Rockhurst security notice.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A hit-and-run incident Wednesday evening at 55th and Troost Avenue near the campus of Rockhurst University had KCPD and campus security searching the surrounding area for at least one suspect.

Students and other campus members were notified via Rockalerts, the university’s emergency notification system, at approximately 7:30 p.m. with an initial message that read, “The KCPD in area looking for [a] hit-and-run suspect (black male, red shirt, [who] ran north from 55th & Troost).” A follow-up message 18 minutes later was sent informing students that one of two suspects had been arrested at the intersection of 53rd & Troost.

A campus security notice from Chief Randy Hopkins sent early Friday morning noted that at approximately 7:09 p.m. Wednesday, KCPD alerted Rockhurst security about two individuals that ran from a scene after “crashing their vehicle into a metal pole on the southeast corner of 55th and Troost Avenue.” UMKC police joined Rockhurst security and KCPD in establishing a perimeter from 54th Street to 57th Street, north to south, and Troost Avenue to The Paseo, west to east.

KCPD arrested one suspect wearing gray clothing at 7:47 p.m. near campus, and Rockhurst security “searched and secured” Van Ackeren Hall and Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Hall. Two jackets were later found in the Community Center parking lot and were collected by KCPD as evidence.