Defendant in She’s a Pistol gun shop shooting sentenced to life in prison

A 21-year-old man who admitted to helping instigate a robbery that led to the shooting death of a Shawnee gun shop owner was sentenced Friday to life in prison.

Hakeem W. Malik of Kansas City pleaded guilty in May in Johnson County District Court to first-degree murder and other charges in the slaying of Jon Bieker.

Malik was one of four men who Johnson County authorities said intended to rob the She’s a Pistol gun shop at on Jan. 9, 2015, but failed when confronted by Bieker, who was fatally injured during an exchange of gunfire.

Three of the would-be robbers were also wounded during a gunbattle before Bieker died.

During the sentencing hearing Friday, prosecutors said while Malik did not fire a weapon or assault Bieker’s wife, Becky, he played a role in the incident that led to the shooting.

Another defendant, Londro Emanuel Patterson III, 22, was found guilty during a criminal trial in May of the same charges.

The Biekers owned the gun shop at 5725 Nieman Road. Becky Bieker was assaulted, suffered a broken nose and briefly lost consciousness in the robbery attempt.

Following her husband’s death, Becky Bieker relocated the store to 64th Street and Quivira Road but closed the business in December.

Prosecutors alleged that three men cased She’s a Pistol on Jan. 5, 2015, and returned with Patterson four days later. They were each armed with a handgun. One entered the store first, wearing a wig and posing as a woman. As Becky Bieker assisted the supposed customer, he signaled the others by cellphone to enter, overwhelm the woman and rob the shop.

However, Jon Bieker, in a back office, heard and saw the altercation on a monitor and raced out with his own gun. The gunbattle ensued. Seconds later, Jon Bieker dropped to the floor near the first attacker and was dead within minutes. The other three attackers fled the shop but were arrested shortly afterward.

Surveillance cameras inside the shop recorded the incident.

Two other defendants, Nicquan K. Midgyett, 21, and De’Anthony A. Wiley, 22, remain in custody while awaiting trial.

This story was originally published August 25, 2017 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Defendant in She’s a Pistol gun shop shooting sentenced to life in prison."