Kansas City, Kan. ? A fleeing suspect fell about 125 feet to his death early Sunday after he leapt over a guardrail and slipped through the hands of a pursuing officer, authorities said.

Kansas City, Mo., police tried to stop the car the man was driving around 1 a.m. near downtown because they had received reports that shots had been fired from the vehicle in the direction of officers.

Capt. Rich Lockhart, a spokesman for Kansas City, Mo., police, said he could provide no details about the earlier shooting.

The man fled westbound on Interstate 70 across a viaduct that connects Missouri and Kansas.

After passing into Kansas City, Kan., the man crashed into another car and continued a short distance before leaving his car, Lockhart said.

As he leapt over the guardrail, one of the officers grabbed the man but was unable to hold onto him.