Kansas City is mourning the death of a police officer who was killed while trying to stop a fleeing suspect. Officer Hunter Simoncic, 26, was struck by a vehicle early Tuesday morning while deploying stop sticks on State Avenue. The Kansas City Police Department confirmed that Simoncic had graduated from the department's academy in 2023.

The incident began around 12:30 a.m. when officers responded to reports of gunfire on Everett Avenue. Upon arrival at 12:40 a.m., they found a man, later identified as Dennis Mitchell III, 31, unconscious in the driver's seat of a truck. When officers approached, Mitchell woke up and fled the scene, prompting a police pursuit.

Mitchell switched vehicles during the chase, abandoning the first truck for another. As police continued to pursue him, Simoncic and another officer exited their vehicle to set up stop sticks. Mitchell allegedly drove toward Simoncic, striking him with the second truck before fleeing the scene.

Simoncic was transported to the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Shortly after the incident, Mitchell crashed his vehicle on Kaw Drive around 12:55 a.m. He was taken into custody and treated at the same hospital as Simoncic before being released and booked into the Wyandotte County Jail.

Mitchell faces multiple charges, including capital murder, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon, and two counts of theft. Authorities later discovered that both trucks used by Mitchell had been reported stolen.

The Kansas City Police Department expressed deep sorrow over Simoncic's death, stating it brings a "profound sense of loss and pain." Before joining the police force, Simoncic worked as a shift supervisor at the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center. He held a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in forensic science. Additionally, he volunteered at Benjamin Banneker Elementary School, where he read to children weekly through a program called Lead to Read KC.

In a tribute, the department shared Simoncic's commitment to community service, quoting him: "I want to take what I have learned in life to make positive changes in a community I believe truly deserves it."

Simoncic's death follows the recent killing of another officer, Elijah Ming, who was shot in the line of duty. The police department concluded their message with a heartfelt farewell: "God speed Hunter. You and Elijah rest easy, we will take it from here." Simoncic's funeral is scheduled for Wednesday, September 3.