Five charged in two shootings of Kansas City police officers

? Prosecutors on Wednesday filed federal firearms and drug charges against five men involved in two separate shootings that left one dead and two Kansas City police officers wounded, one critically.

The two shootings that occurred Tuesday were linked to drugs and weapons, said police spokesman Sgt. Tony Sanders.

Police identified the fatality as Deandre T. Clay, 21, of Kansas City, who was riding in one of the vehicles involved in the shootings.

The more seriously injured officer remained in critical condition Wednesday at a hospital and the other was treated and released. Sanders said the department wasn’t identifying the officers other than to say they are both 11-year veterans.

The officers were wounded in the first shooting when narcotics officers tried to pull over a car on the city’s east side.

One of the three people in the car opened fire and was critically wounded by officers. The other two people in the car, including a juvenile, were arrested without incident.

U.S. Attorney John F. Wood identified the two adults as Kyle A. Gardenhire, 23, who was driving the vehicle, and Bryan A. Walker, 21, both of Kansas City. He said the two were charged with federal possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Police declined to identify which one was wounded.

Only hours after the first shooting, officers doing surveillance a mile away tried to stop a vehicle with four people inside. As officers approached the vehicle, one of the occupants fired at them and the vehicle sped off.

An affidavit said the car refused to stop for police and a rear passenger pointed a gun at officers, who fired several shots at the vehicle. The driver, identified as Dion D. Spriggs, 23, lost control of the car and struck a fence.

Spriggs was arrested. Police also arrested Demetrius A. Briggs, 22, and Montae T. Robertson, 19, both of Kansas City, in the vehicle. The third passenger, Clay, had a gunshot wound to his lower back and later died at a hospital.