Police search for gunman after 4 adults shot in K.C.

Crime is possibly drug-related, officials say

? Police were searching for a man seen running from the home where four people were killed early Friday, in what was described as a possibly drug-related crime.

Police spokesman Darin Snapp said authorities had not identified a “person of interest” in the shootings.

“One of the victim’s relatives stated that he moved out of the house about six months ago because the drug traffic around the house was out of control,” Snapp said.

Snapp said the shooter appeared to have known the victims, but authorities had yet to determine a motive.

Officers found two women and one man dead in the home, and a second man later died at the hospital.

Police did not release the names of the victims, saying only that one was a resident of the home and the other three were her friends. Family identified the resident as Tracy Pearson.

They said Pearson moved into a first-floor apartment in the home several months ago. Her mother, Suzzanne Thurman, had lived on the second floor for several years, said Vernetta Smith, a friend of Thurman, who answered questions on the sidewalk in front of the house.

In the midst of the interview, Smith yelled to Thurman who stood on a second-floor balcony and asked if she wanted to talk to reporters.

“Four people are dead,” Thurman said, “that’s all they need to know.”

The mother told officers she heard several gunshots around 2 a.m. and saw a man wearing a black jacket run from the house, Snapp said.

Keisha Jackson, 32, of Kansas City, drove to the scene because she is the godmother of Pearson’s daughter, who was away at college.

“She’s just a lovable person,” Jackson said of Pearson. “She helped anyone.”

Relative James Hill said Pearson recently had lost her job and that the house frequently had visitors, without elaborating.

Leonard Thurman, 59, of Leavenworth, an uncle of Pearson, disregarded the talk that drugs might have been involved.

“She’s good,” he said. “She supports her daughter who is in college on one income. Everyone likes her in the community.

“We don’t know who this was directed toward. We think it was just at her house.”

Residents in the eastside neighborhood said they rarely had problems in the area.

“It was quiet, but the devil comes,” said Matilda Evell, who lived nearby but didn’t know the victims. “I’m so sick of people killing.”

Roosevelt Kelly, 84, said he had owned an apartment building across the street since 1968.

“I would describe the block as some nice people living here.”