Relatives of woman killed in KC nightclub seek help. ‘Our family is heartbroken’
The family of a woman killed in the nightclub shooting early Sunday said they are heartbroken and want to honor her as the “beautiful person she was.”
Tishauna Ballard, 24, is one of two women killed in the shooting inside Status Nightclub. In a GoFundMe account set up to help pay for funeral expenses, a sibling of Ballard’s said she “made every day brighter for those around her.”
“She loved to party, had a special place in her heart for children and always dreamed of riding a deer — she really meant it!” the sibling wrote. “At Northeast High School, she was known for caring, helping others, and always having fun with a smile on her face. Her spirit was infectious.”
Gunshots rang out at around 2 a.m. Sunday inside the packed nightclub as people danced. Witnesses told The Star that they heard three pops and then people started running or dropping to the ground.
Eboni Silas, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene, and Ballard died after being transported to a local hospital. Two other people were injured in the shooting. One woman was shot in the leg and a man suffered gunshot wounds to the face and chest, authorities said.
Donations to the GoFundMe account for Ballard’s family will go directly toward funeral expenses, her sibling wrote, “helping us give Tishauna the farewell she deserves and bring our loved ones together to remember her.”
“Our family is heartbroken,” the sibling wrote. “ ... If you can’t donate, just showing up to her funeral would mean so much. Your support, whether through a donation or simply being present, will help us celebrate Tishauna’s life and keep her memory alive.”
In response to the shooting inside the nightclub, the city has launched an investigation into the business to determine if any city ordinances have been violated.
The city’s Multidisciplinary Task Force and Regulated Industries Division are each investigating Status Nightclub and Blvd Nights, a Kansas City spokesperson said. Blvd Nights is located on the same block as Status.
Ball cap leads to shooting suspect
Prosecutors announced charges earlier this week against Dontae M. Brooks, who lives in Kansas City, Kansas. He was taken into custody Monday and charged with two counts of second-degree murder, four counts of armed criminal action, one count of first-degree assault, second-degree assault and two weapons crimes.
Surveillance cameras inside the nightclub helped lead prosecutors to the charges, according to court records. The footage shows a man wearing a red baseball cap with a capital “A” on the front entering the Status Nightclub at 1:51 a.m. Sunday.
It also shows an unknown male whisper into the suspect’s ear, a court affidavit explaining the charges said.
“Shortly after this, the suspect raises his right arm with a handgun in his hand and points it towards the area where a heavyset black male in a white t-shirt is dancing,” the document said. “Apparent muzzle flash is seen coming from the handgun.”
Many inside the club began to run as others dropped to the ground, witnesses told The Star. According to court records, the suspect also began to flee, but he fell down. At that time, records show, his cap fell off.
“The suspect then stands up and exits the club, leaving his baseball cap behind,” it said. Police at the scene recovered the cap.
According to a release from the prosecutor’s office: “DNA evidence from the cap matched the defendant.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 10:11 AM.
