Ten Wyandotte High School students escaped injury after their bus was hit during the fatal Kansas City, Kansas, shooting.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Police have identified the man killed in a Monday morning shooting that also sent stray gunfire into a school bus carrying 10 students in Kansas City, Kansas, while investigators continue searching for a suspect.
The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department identified the victim Wednesday as Stephen David Bagley Jr., 36. Bagley was pronounced dead at the scene after officers responded at about 6:39 a.m. Sept. 21 to reports of a shooting near North 18th Street and Longwood Avenue. Police said no suspects were in custody as of Wednesday, and the homicide remained under investigation.
The shooting drew added concern because a Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools bus was traveling through the area when it was struck by gunfire. The bus was carrying 10 students headed to Wyandotte High School. Police said the bus was inadvertently hit and that none of the students aboard was injured.
School district information released after the shooting indicated that the bus sustained damage in at least three places, including a window. The shooting occurred near 18th Street and Longwood Avenue, just south of Quindaro Boulevard. Authorities have not announced evidence that the bus, its driver or its passengers were deliberately targeted.
After the shooting, Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools notified parents and guardians of the students on the bus. District spokesperson Markl Johnson said students were given the option of continuing to school or going home. Parents picked up eight of the students, while district employees transported the remaining two to school.
The damaged bus remained near the shooting scene while law enforcement continued its investigation. The district arranged another bus to cover the route later that day so students who normally used it would still have transportation home. The district also requested that an officer from its police department follow the replacement bus during the afternoon route.
School officials said counseling would be available for students affected by the incident. The steps came after a routine trip to school unexpectedly placed the students near the scene of a homicide investigation. Despite the damage to the bus, authorities reported no physical injuries among the students.
Police initially released few details about the fatal shooting beyond saying that officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds when they arrived. Investigators have not publicly announced what led to the shooting, identified a suspected motive or released information establishing how many people may have been involved. Bagley’s identification was the most significant update released by police through Wednesday.
The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department’s Major Case Unit is handling the investigation. Police said Wednesday that no suspects were in custody. The circumstances surrounding Bagley’s death and the gunfire that struck the passing school bus remain under investigation.
Author note: Last updated September 23, 2026.