A man from Missouri was killed in a robbery after Sunday night’s protests in Kansas City, according to police.
The man was identified as 50-year-old Marvin Francois by local news agency The Kansas City Star. Authorities said he was shot, and killed by three black men that were trying to steal his SUV that night.
Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) officials reported the shooting incident that happened around the area of the Sunday night protests and involved a man with “potentially life-threatening injuries,” but it was unclear if the incident was related to the protests.
The department later updated early on June 1 the victim was found deceased, he was reportedly shot three times and died at the scene. His death is being investigated as a homicide.
The victim is deceased. We are investigating this as a homicide.
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) June 1, 2020
Francois’s family said he was a family man who had always taught his four children the importance of standing up to injustice, the outlet reported.
The Kansas father and husband was about to pick up one of his sons that day at a protest for George Floyd when his son wanted to attend the demonstrations to speak up against police brutality.
“If you see any injustices you have to speak out because the other person might not be able to speak out,” one of Francois’s children recalled his father as saying during an interview with The Kansas City Star.
Shortly after the reported shooting, there had been rumors circulating on social media, and misinformation spread among protesters that Francois was killed by KCPD deputies. But based on witness statements by bystanders and Francois his family this narrative was quickly based as false claims.
Witnesses told authorities they saw three young men standing beside an SUV Sunday around 10 p.m. when they saw a “middle-aged man” speaking with them. The witnesses saw the man getting shot by the three youngsters. Several bystanders rushed toward the injured man and called emergency responders. The man was later identified as Francois.
Following the shooting, posts on social media blaming the police were being circulated.
KCPD later said in a statement on Facebook their officers had nothing to do with the shooting and arrived on the scene to start first aid on Francois after emergency calls about a reported shooting.
“We are receiving many questions regarding the homicide at 46th and Warwick last night due to social media posts that are circulating. The information on the posts is inaccurate,” KCPD stated.
“The shooting did not involve police officers. Officers responded from a nearby location to render aid to the victim. Witnesses told us three unknown black males ran from the scene after the shooting,” the statement continued.
Francois’s 18-year-old son said he’s heartbroken at the loss of his father after Sunday night’s protest and wants the world to remember him as a man who loved his family, his city, and the art of photography, WDAF reported.
Francois is the 75th homicide of 2020 in Kansas City. No information regarding a possible suspect has been released as of Thursday afternoon. Multiple anonymous witnesses dispelled rumors across the city that KCPD officers killed Francois.
Authorities are investigating the homicide and are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
