Kansas City man, one of five suspects, charged in Oct. 9 Westport shooting
A Kansas City man has been charged in a shooting in Westport that left five people injured and damaged several local businesses on Oct. 9.
Jerome A. Washington, 29, is charged with attempted robbery, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon for his role in the shooting, court records show.
Washington and four others were wounded in the shooting, with Washington and two others facing critical injuries. He is one of five suspects police have identified in the shooting, according to court documents.
The shooting occurred at Westport Media Collective, 315 Westport Road, according to court documents. City officials permanently closed the unlicensed event space, which featured recording booths for rent, on Oct. 15.
Kansas City police officers responded to the 300 block of Westport Road around 8 p.m., where they discovered Washington and two others in the surrounding streets with various gunshot wounds. One of the other victims was found in a parking lot just north of Westport Media Collective, according to court documents; another was found shot in the chest on Westport Road.
All three were transported to a local hospital, where two other victims also presented with injuries related to the shooting, according to court documents.
During interviews with Kansas City police detectives, three of the victims said they regularly recorded music at Westport Media Collective. When they arrived for a recording session Oct. 9 with the on-site producer, five men armed with AR-style rifles were also in the studio, according to court documents.
When two of the victims went to a different area of the space, the five suspects — led by Washington — are accused of attempting to rob the third victim at gunpoint, according to court documents. When the remaining victims returned, one of them exchanged gunfire with the suspects, later passing the gun to another victim to continue exchanging fire, court documents show.
Security camera footage captured at the scene shows four of the suspects, including Washington, flee in a white Chevrolet sedan after the shooting. After the suspects left, the injured victims helped each other exit the building, and two of them collapsed nearby.
After leaving in the Chevrolet, Washington was later found on the ground at a nearby intersection, according to court documents. Detectives primarily identified Washington from the video footage, according to court documents.
In his interview with detectives, Washington said that he was outside the building when he was shot, and that he does not remember anything else. Court records did not specify whether, or how, the fifth injured person was involved with the shootout.
Washington was previously charged with robbery, motor vehicle tampering and possession of a firearm, according to court records. The shooting happened in front of multiple witnesses and damaged the neighboring storefront at Pop! Vintage Furniture and Accessories, as well as at least one parked car.
Several others affiliated with the Westport business community had registered complaints about Westport Media Collective in the past, Lucas shared on social media earlier this month.
Washington is not eligible for bond, according to court records. His next court date has not yet been set.
