Missouri Man Charged in Road Rage Shooting Death

A man from Missouri has been taken into custody following the fatal shooting of Dennis Sharkey Jr., a former sports reporter, during a road rage incident on January 10th.

Ruslan Huseynov, age 34, now faces multiple charges, including two counts related to armed crimes and illegal use of a firearm, as recorded by Platte County authorities.

On the evening of the shooting, around 7 PM, police in Kansas City received a 911 call reporting the situation that unfolded on I-29 between Huseynov and Sharkey’s vehicles.

Documents from Platte County suggest that Huseynov’s car had been in front of Sharkey’s car when comments were exchanged between the drivers. Eyewitnesses described how both vehicles came to a halt on the interstate, leading to a confrontation.

As the two vehicles stopped, witnesses noted a man, described as having “Middle Eastern or Italian” features, holding a gun and aiming it toward Sharkey’s vehicle before fleeing the scene. They continued down I-29, contacted 911, and later reported hearing gunshots.

The first responders found Sharkey’s vehicle crashed against a fence on the interstate, and he had suffered a gunshot wound. Authorities transported him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:51 PM.

Investigators established a connection to Huseynov using cellphone data from the area, alongside a bullet casing found near the crash site.

Further investigation led to a search of Huseynov’s phone, which indicated he had been in Platte County on the day of the incident. Following a traffic stop in March, he was arrested in June on unrelated charges. During the questioning regarding the shooting, Huseynov’s cellphone records were examined.

Authorities reported having evidence, including photographs from Huseynov’s iCloud account, showing a 9mm magazine and ammunition. He allegedly confessed that these items belonged to him and mentioned a friend had attempted to sell a gun to him.

Law enforcement later searched Huseynov’s home, where they found a 9mm handgun, corresponding ammunition, and a magazine. The ballistics matched evidence gathered from the shooting scene.

Sharkey’s obituary states he had worked for various news outlets in Missouri and Kansas, covering significant sports events. His journalism career included a role as a reporter and photographer for Pratt County. The obituary shared that he had a deep passion for sports, especially teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, and valued his relationships with family.

At this point, Huseynov remains in custody at the Pratt County Detention Center, with no legal representation listed in public records.