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Suspect in shooting death of North Kansas City officer may face death penalty, Clay County prosecutor says

A news conference is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to discuss case updates

Suspect in shooting death of North Kansas City officer may face death penalty, Clay County prosecutor says

A news conference is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to discuss case updates

THAT’S STRAIGHT AHEAD. CLAY COUNTY PROSECUTORS WILL BE SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY FOR THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING NORTH KANSAS CITY POLICE OFFICER DANIEL VASQUEZ. ABC NEWS JD ALCOCK JOINING US. MORE ON THAT DECISION. ANDY. YEAH, MATT AND KELLY CLAY COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY ZACHARY THOMPSON DISCUSSED THAT DECISION HERE AT THE OLD COURTHOUSE IN THE LAST HOUR. UNDER MISSOURI LAW, IF SOMEONE IS FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHILE THAT OFFICER IS ON DUTY, IT IS AN AGGRAVATOR NECESSARY TO SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY. ONE OF THREE AGGRAVATORS THOMPSON CITED IN HIS FILING. JOSHUA ROACH IS ACCUSED OF FATALLY SHOOTING OFFICER VASQUEZ AT A TRAFFIC STOP LAST JULY. ROCHA VERY BRIEFLY APPEARED IN COURT THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE THOMPSON IS SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY, ROGER WILL NOW BE REPRESENTED BY MISSOURI’S WESTERN DISTRICT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S CAPITAL DIVISION. FLANKED BY MEMBERS OF OFFICER VASQUEZ, HIS FAMILY, AND MEMBERS OF THE NORTH KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, THOMPSON EXPLAINED HIS DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FIRST DEATH PENALTY CASE IN CLAY COUNTY IN NEARLY 30 YEARS. NO DECISION WAS MADE ON THIS CASE UNTIL WE HAD A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE FACTS OF THE CASE, AND WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OFFICER VASQUEZ, HIS FAMILY AND MEMBERS OF THE NORTH KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. OFFICER VASQUEZ IS POLICE, FAMILY AND AT THE REQUEST OF DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, THE PROSECUTOR ALSO TODAY RELEASED A LIST OF WHAT WE’RE TOLD IS NEARLY FOUR PAGES OF POTENTIAL WITNESSES IN THIS CASE. THOMPSON DID SAY THAT INVESTIGATORS AND PROSECUTORS HAVE ALL THE EVIDENCE THEY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS CASE. REPORTING LIVE IN LIBERTY, ANDY ALCOCK KMBC9 NEWS AND ROACH AS NEW ATTORNEYS WILL NEED SOME TIME TO REVIEW HIS FIL
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Suspect in shooting death of North Kansas City officer may face death penalty, Clay County prosecutor says

A news conference is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to discuss case updates

The suspect in the shooting death of a North Kansas City, Missouri, police officer last year may face the death penalty. The Clay County Prosecuting Attorney's Office announced in a news release Tuesday morning that it has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Joshua T. Rocha.Rocha, 24, has been charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of North Kansas City Officer Daniel Vasquez. Authorities believe Vasquez, 32, was killed in the line of duty in July 2022 after a traffic stop of a vehicle with expired temporary tags. According to Clay County, Missouri, Sheriff Will Akin, Vasquez attempted to pull over Rocha in a gray older-model Ford Taurus with an expired paper tag near 21st Avenue and Clay Street in NKC. Investigators say that's when the suspect opened fire, seriously wounding Vasquez. Probable cause documents from police say that Rocha was on his way to buy ammunition for a rifle that was in his possession. After turning himself in to the police, Rocha told arresting officers that he didn't want to go to jail for the vehicle's expired tags. He pulled his rifle into his lap and shot Vasquez out of his car window as he approached the vehicle. Records suggest Rocha then exited the vehicle and emptied the rest of his gun's magazine at the officer before getting back in his car and driving away. Rocha also said that he attempted to alter his appearance and spray paint his vehicle before giving up on the effort and turning himself in to Clay County authorities. Vasquez was rushed to a nearby hospital but he died from his injuries. Officials said Vasquez joined the North Kansas City Police Department in 2021. Vasquez’s death is the first time an officer from the police department died in the line of duty.The Clay County Prosecutor’s Office announced Rocha has also been charged with armed criminal action and has a bond set at $2 million.

The suspect in the shooting death of a North Kansas City, Missouri, police officer last year may face the death penalty.

The Clay County Prosecuting Attorney's Office announced in a news release Tuesday morning that it has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Joshua T. Rocha.

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Rocha, 24, has been charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of North Kansas City Officer Daniel Vasquez.

Authorities believe Vasquez, 32, was killed in the line of duty in July 2022 after a traffic stop of a vehicle with expired temporary tags.

According to Clay County, Missouri, Sheriff Will Akin, Vasquez attempted to pull over Rocha in a gray older-model Ford Taurus with an expired paper tag near 21st Avenue and Clay Street in NKC.

Investigators say that's when the suspect opened fire, seriously wounding Vasquez. Probable cause documents from police say that Rocha was on his way to buy ammunition for a rifle that was in his possession.

After turning himself in to the police, Rocha told arresting officers that he didn't want to go to jail for the vehicle's expired tags. He pulled his rifle into his lap and shot Vasquez out of his car window as he approached the vehicle. Records suggest Rocha then exited the vehicle and emptied the rest of his gun's magazine at the officer before getting back in his car and driving away.

Rocha also said that he attempted to alter his appearance and spray paint his vehicle before giving up on the effort and turning himself in to Clay County authorities.

Vasquez was rushed to a nearby hospital but he died from his injuries.

Officials said Vasquez joined the North Kansas City Police Department in 2021. Vasquez’s death is the first time an officer from the police department died in the line of duty.

The Clay County Prosecutor’s Office announced Rocha has also been charged with armed criminal action and has a bond set at $2 million.