Kansas City, Mo. — Around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night, what began as a tense dispute inside Bally’s Casino on East Front Street spilled out into the crisp winter parking lot. There, an 18-year-old named Aundre Harris Jr. was shot and later died at a local hospital, police confirmed.
Officers from the Kansas City Police Department raced to the casino after multiple callers reported gunfire near the 1800 block. When they arrived, they found Harris lying on the pavement with gunshot wounds. Despite officers performing CPR and paramedics rushing to help, he could not be saved.
Police described the killing as a homicide and said a person of interest was taken into custody at the scene shortly after the shooting. Authorities have not yet released the name of the suspect, and the investigation is unfolding, with detectives reviewing surveillance video and talking to witnesses.
According to preliminary reports, the trouble started with a disturbance involving several people inside the casino. That argument didn’t end there. It followed at least some of those involved out into the night air, where words turned to blows and, ultimately, to gunfire. Harris was struck during that confrontation.
Friends, family, and regulars at Bally’s are left in shock. An ordinary evening of games and laughter turned into a scene of loss that rippled through this part of the city. While police urge anyone who saw or heard something to step forward, some neighbors are still processing what they witnessed.
Kansas City police are asking anyone with information to call homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for anonymous information that leads to an arrest or charge related to the case.
As the investigation continues, Harris’s death adds to a growing concern about gun violence in city entertainment districts. Community leaders say they hope swift answers — and action — will come from this tragic night outside Bally’s Casino.
