Man says fatal shooting at Kansas City liquor store was done in self-defense
A man said he had been defending himself when he fatally shot another man who grabbed his gun at a Kansas City liquor store on Monday, according to court documents.
Another man, who was with the man who died, allegedly pulled a gun during a struggle for the initial weapon and was charged with murder for his connection to the shooting.
Kansas City police identified the man who was killed as 18-year-old Donovan Booker.
Jackson County prosecutors announced on Tuesday that 18-year-old Jeremiah Williamson of Kansas City has been charged — in Jackson County Circuit Court — with second-degree murder for the death of a person during the perpetration of an attempted robbery, as well as first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action.
“Sometimes, the choices we make and the company we keep can have devastating and lifelong consequences,” Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said in a statement.
“Under Missouri law, when someone is killed during the perpetration of a felony, attempted felony or flight of a felony, any of the participants can be held accountable for felony murder. If convicted, the defendant could face 10 to 30 years in prison.
“I am proud of the swift work led by the Kansas City Police Department and our prosecution team. We’ll continue to work together to hold those who endanger our community accountable.”
Officers responded around 6 p.m. on Monday to the Liquor Xpress store at the intersection of East 9th Street and Prospect Avenue on a shooting call and found a man suffering from gunshot trauma. He was taken to an area hospital and was later declared dead.
Officers also found the man who called 911, reporting he had shot someone else in self-defense, and Williamson, at the business. The police officers found “signs of a disturbance” near the entrance of the business and recovered two firearms, five shell casings and 33 live rounds near the front door, according to court documents.
The man who said he shot in self-defense (whose name is redacted in the court documents related to Williamson’s charges) told police he had been at the store with his girlfriend and was talking to the cashier when the other man (Booker) grabbed a pistol that was in his pocket. The two men struggled over the weapon, and during the fight, the first man said the man he shot — Booker — told his companion — Williamson — who allegedly had pulled a weapon from his waistband, to “Hurry up and shoot him,” according to court documents.
The first man, according to court documents, said he was able to get control of the weapon and fired at Booker.
“(The man who fired) stated he did not want to shoot anyone, but he was afraid for his own safety and the safety of his girlfriend as the incident was occurring,” a police detective wrote in court documents.
