A multi-state manhunt is underway this weekend for a suspect that authorities describe as armed and dangerous. Police are searching for 22-year-old Oscar Sanchez Munoz, who is wanted in connection with a string of shootings. Investigators have released his description, saying he stands about five feet eight inches tall and weighs around 184 pounds, and they are urging the public not to approach him.
According to the FBI, Sanchez Munoz is wanted for shooting at a car on June 11th in Kansas. Authorities say he may also be responsible for five more shootings that took place on Tuesday, all of them just miles from Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri, where several World Cup matches are being played. The proximity to the tournament venues has heightened concern as large crowds continue to gather in the Kansas City area.
Officials say one person died in the shootings, while another suffered serious injuries. All of the other victims are expected to recover. Among those who were wounded was an Uber driver who had been shot while taking fans to the World Cup match between Argentina and Algeria, turning what should have been an ordinary ride to the stadium into a violent ordeal.
One of the passengers who was inside the vehicle described the moment the gunfire erupted. He recalled that a car passed by very fast and that he heard two loud booming noises, after which the driver began screaming that he had been hit. Looking over the driver's shoulder, the passenger said he saw two bullet holes in the man's legs and that he had started bleeding.
The passenger said he called 911 and then used baby wipes to press on the driver's gunshot wounds while waiting for help to arrive. His account underscored how close ordinary fans came to the violence, as the shooting unfolded along a route filled with people heading to the tournament.
Police say that after the shootings they located Sanchez Munoz at a house in Independence, Missouri. The suspect barricaded himself inside the home, leading to an hours-long standoff with officers. According to authorities, the house was eventually set on fire during the confrontation.
Once the fire was put out, police say Sanchez Munoz was nowhere to be found, allowing him to slip away as the search widened across state lines. Investigators say they still do not know what motivated the attacks, and the effort to track him down is intensifying. Authorities continue to warn that the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.