Kansas City pedestrian killed by suspect fleeing police chase Wednesday afternoon

A pedestrian was killed Wednesday afternoon in the Blue Valley Industrial area on Kansas City's East Side after being struck by a suspect fleeing from a police pursuit.

Patrol officers began pursuing a black pickup truck near the intersection of Independence and Topping avenues after it was determined to be stolen, Capt. Leslie Foreman, a department spokeswoman, said at the scene. At one point the suspect allegedly rammed the patrol car and the chase continued east toward Interstate I-435.

The officers reported calling off the police chase as the suspect began to enter the wrong direction of I-435, Foreman said. Less than a minute later, a police officer in the area noticed that a person had been struck by the pickup near Truman Road and the interstate off-ramp, Foreman said.

The pickup truck also struck a traffic control box near the highway. The suspected driver allegedly fled on foot and a passenger, identified as an adult female, was taken into police custody.

Helicopters and K-9 units were called out Wednesday afternoon in search of the driver, Foreman said.

The victim was identified by police as an adult male. Additional information about his identity was not immediately available.

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