A late-night shooting in north Wichita left 20-year-old Joshua Batemon dead and an 18-year-old companion critically injured. The gunfire erupted about 1:59 a.m. on January 23, 2024, in the 1500 block of North Poplar. Batemon was found with a fatal gunshot wound to his upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene; the other victim was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Investigators say neither victim lived in the neighborhood and preliminary information indicates the people involved knew one another. Police believe the shooting may have stemmed from a road rage incident reported hours earlier in the 1900 block of Broadway. Authorities were speaking with a person of interest but had not announced any arrests or released suspect names in the days after the killing.

Anyone with information about what led to this deadly confrontation is asked to contact the Wichita Police Department.