Kansas City man dies Saturday after shooting caused his car to roll onto restaurant patio

A 20-year-old Kansas City man died Tuesday morning in a shooting Saturday evening on Southwest Boulevard.

At around 7:30 p.m., officers received a call about a shooting in the 700 block of Southwest Boulevard. They found Adrian Velez-Esparza shot to death in a vehicle that had rolled into the outdoor area of ​​La Bodega restaurant.

Velez-Esparaza was taken to a local hospital but died of his injuries on Tuesday, according to Captain Jake Becchina, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department.

The shooting is now being investigated as a homicide.

Preliminary findings indicate the incident occurred east of the restaurant after Velez-Esparaza came into contact with one or more people in another vehicle, resulting in gunfire, Becchina said.

The killing was the 77th homicide in Kansas City this year, according to data compiled by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. There were 100 homicides at this time last year.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide Unit directly at 816-234-5043 or anonymously to the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Information submitted anonymously to the TIPS Hotline may receive a reward of up to $25,000.