50-year-old Dennis Sharkey dies in shooting incident on I-29 near NW 72nd Street in Platte County

Law enforcement officials have released the identity of the person who lost his life in a shooting incident Friday evening, which led to a partial shutdown of Interstate 29 in Platte County.

The event took place just after 7 p.m. near the exit ramp connecting I-29 and Northwest 72nd Street.

The Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) reports that law enforcement personnel responded to reports of a vehicle that had left the roadway.

When police reached the scene, they found the vehicle positioned south of Northwest 72nd Street, alongside the southbound highway. The automobile had stopped after hitting a protective barrier on an embankment by the outer road.

Police found 50-year-old Dennis A. Sharkey from Liberty, Missouri, inside the vehicle. Sharkey was found unconscious with apparent gunshot injuries.

Emergency services transported him to a nearby medical facility, where medical staff later declared him deceased.

Initial investigation findings indicate that the shooting incident likely took place as Sharkey was traveling south on I-29, either at or slightly north of the Northwest 72nd Street vicinity. Investigators continue to examine the cause and sequence of events leading to the shooting.

KCPD investigators are actively gathering evidence to understand the sequence of events. Police are requesting that anyone who was traveling on I-29 between Barry Road and Northwest 72nd Street during the incident contact them if they witnessed any suspicious activity.

Those with relevant information should contact the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477. All information shared remains anonymous, and your assistance could help solve this case.

The case remains under active investigation, with additional information pending release.