Officer McKinney was shot and killed by a mentally disturbed man in the lobby of Police Headquarters.

On Thursday morning - January 22, 1903, Sylvester Swank, a mentally disturbed man, entered the office of Frank Snow, property clerk at the police headquarters, and demanded $90 that was taken from him when he was sent to an asylum in St. Joseph, Missouri a year before. As he left the property room he saw Officer McKinney and hesitated. Swank quickly reached inside his coat and withdrew a revolver, firing on Officer McKinney striking him in the left temple. Officer McKinney sank to the floor and Swank stood over him for a minute. Clerk Snow and jailer Burt Siersdorfer, rushed to the Officer McKinney's aid as Swank began to fire again but Lieutenant Kennedy ran behind Swank and grasped his arms as Swank continued to fire causing the remainder of his bullets to discharge wildly. Swank continued to fight policemen until officers were able to physically overpower him. Officer McKinney died from his injuries at 12:45 am on January 24, 1903.

Swank was examined, determined to be mentally ill and was taken the insane asylum in Nevada, Missouri by Marshal Thomas J. Pendergast. Swank previously escaped from a state insane asylum in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Officer McKinney was a cowboy, a cattleman and a U.S. Marshall prior to coming to Kansas City in 1886. Officer McKinney was appointed to the Kansas City Police Department in 1897. Officer McKinney's funeral was held at the family home at 3017 E. 22nd St. Services were were held under the auspices of Masonic Rural Lodge #216. He was survived by three children aged 6 to 15 years of age, Alexander, Francis, and Leonard; his mother and a brother, Wayne. Interred: Elmwood Cemetery.

Article by Brent Marchant