Dennis Sharkey, a sports reporter for the Platte County Citizen, was shot and killed on Jan. 10, in an apparent road rage incident in Platte County.
As of publication time, law enforcement is continuing to investigate the events surrounding Sharkey’s death. Family members have called for anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.
According to reporting from area media, Sharkey was found non-responsive in a vehicle resting near a barrier fence on I-29. He was covering sporting events for the Citizen the night of the shooting.
Platte County law officers said two vehicles had stopped on the interstate for some sort of incident. The suspect was believed to have gotten out of the car before firing a single shot into Sharkey’s vehicle.
Sharkey was a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University and editor of the university’s newspaper, the Northwest Missourian. He joined the Platte County Citizen’s staff in July 2024 and had previously worked at the Mexico Ledger, Mound City News, Platte County Landmark and multiple Kansas newspapers.
This report was compiled from several media sources in the region. An obit for Sharkey is on page 9 of this month’s Missouri Press News.