LEAWOOD, Kan. -- A group of Johnson County employees was suspended for betting on homicide statistics, KMBC reported Thursday.

According to the Leawood city administrator, between eight and 10 city employees are facing disciplinary action after taking part in an office betting pool based on the number of homicides in Kansas City this year. The city administrator said the winning pot was less than $50.

The Leawood city administrator would not comment on how long the employees would be suspended.

Three Leawood employees involved in the case spoke to KMBC's Maria Antonia Friday. The workers asked not to be identified.

The man who blew the whistle on the betting pool said he told his supervisor about it because he thought it was in bad taste.

"To show the character of these guys -- that's why I brought up the death pool," the whistleblower said.

"I just want to say I'm sorry ... I'm ashamed I was a part of it," one of the pool participants said. "It looks bad, it's unprofessional and it's in poor taste."

"I know I did something wrong; I know I did something that was inappropriate and immoral," another participant said. "I am sorry to the community, especially anybody who has been affected."

Both participants with whom KMBC spoke said they never put any money in the pool. They said they signed their name to the form and made a guess, but later changed their minds.

"Later that day, they came and asked for money, and I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the right thing to do. It's very insensitive," one participant said.

A Leawood official said the city is considering sensitivity training.

Outrage Over Bet

Kansas City Mayor Pro Tem Al Brooks is outraged over the betting pool.

"How insensitive and inhumane can someone be? This is crazy," Brooks said. "Would you be taking a bet on how many soldiers are going to die in Iraq or how many Iraqis are going to die in blasts?"

Brooks said the homicides aren't just numbers -- they represent human life.

"I'm thinking about these grieving families; someone is taking a chance on them," Brooks said.

He said the crudeness of such a betting pool is that someone could be rooting for more violence.

"If you're at 109 or 110, you say, 'Don't have any more homicides,' but if you are at 125, then you are, like, 'Root for the team so you can win the pot,'" Brooks said.

Other residents were also upset about the office pool.

"It's just in bad taste; not a lot of class," Tony Schroeder said.

"It's just appalling. I can't imagine somebody would do that in a city office," Carolyn Thiessen said.