A NIGHT OF MAYHEM AT RIVERSIDE
The Platte County Sheriff’s Department says a double homicide and child abduction occurred just after 11:15 p.m. Thursday night, Feb. 27 at Riverside, and the matter ended with the suspect being shot and killed by police several hours later.
Investigators say the first homicide occurred in Riverside near the intersection of Vivion Road and NW High Drive at about 11:15 p.m.
Authorities say the suspect killed a woman at a Riverside car wash and stole her car. Police said the victim and suspect did not know each other, with it believed the suspect wanted to take her vehicle. The victim at the car wash was identified as Katherine Bjorklund, 33, of Kansas City in Platte County.
The suspect took that victim’s vehicle from the scene and proceeded to the 4400 block of NW 50th Street in unincorporated Platte County. While at a residence in the 4400 block of NW 50th Street in unincorporated Platte County, the suspect shot and killed Giuliani Calderon, age 12 and also shot Mercedes Ontiveros, age 34, who was the mother of the boy, seriously injuring her. As of Monday, Mercedes Ontiveros remains hospitalized, recovering from her gunshot wound.
Giuliani was a seventh grade student at the Walden Middle School in the Park Hill School District. Giuliani was known to his assailant.
Authorities say the suspect then took a five-year-old female, later said by police to be the suspect’s daughter, from the residence and fled the area.
An Amber Alert was initially issued for the five-year-old, but that was canceled when the girl was found at about 5:10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. Police say the girl was located and is safe, unharmed and has been reunited with family members.
The suspect fled Platte County in a vehicle and allegedly committed crimes on the Kansas side of the river, before returning to Platte County.
The suspect in both homicides was George Clyde Manning, described as a 43-year-old black male.
Authorities say Manning was shot and killed by police in the area of NW Vivion and Waukomis Drive at about 7:30 a.m. on Friday morning, about eight hours after the first homicide.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, officers saw him walking with a handgun. Officers then shot at the suspect and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol will conduct the investigation into the officer-involved shooting that killed Manning. Authorities said the officers involved in the shooting are from the Kansas City Police Department and Homeland Security.
Platte County Sheriff Erik Holland said despite the fact the suspect is deceased, the sheriff’s department will complete a full investigation of events in the double homicide and aggravated assault.
