Video shows crowd fleeing after shots fired at North Kansas City basketball game
Spectators scattered outside North Kansas City High School as a shootout erupts at the end of a boys’ basketball game in March 2024, newly released surveillance video shows.
Clay County Prosecutor Zach Thompson released the videos on Facebook Wednesday as he announced that a third man was sentenced in the shooting that injured an innocent bystander and one of the men involved in the shooting.
Clay County Judge Timothy J. Flook sentenced 22-year-old Nathaniel M. Greer of Kansas City to 12 years in prison for his role in the shootout at the end of the playoff game between North Kansas City and Staley high schools.
As part of a plea agreement, Greer pleaded guilty in February to one count each of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon.
“What should have been a day of team pride and celebration ended in gunfire, chaos, and trauma for students, families, and innocent bystanders,” Thompson said on Facebook.
Greer was the third defendant to be sentenced for the shooting. Two Kansas City brothers, Lavon’Dre M. Smallwood, 20, and Michael Smallwood, 21, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles.
Lavon’Dre Smallwood was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Michael Smallwood was sentenced to 11 years.
A fourth man, 20-year-old Je’Kwon D. Serell of Kansas City, pleaded guilty in March to one count of unlawful use of a weapon, admitting that he possessed a firearm on school property. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday.
Thompson released two videos with the announcement of Greer’s sentencing, each showing Greer with a handgun.
New details on shooting
The shootout occurred on March 2, 2024, outside the high school at 620 E. 23rd Avenue in North Kansas City as the basketball game was ending. A speech and debate event was also taking place on the school’s campus.
According to a court document filed Greer’s case in March, the shooting involved two groups of about 12 adults and one teen who left the game and exited on the east side of the North Kansas City High School Fieldhouse. One group was following the other.
Serell and a teenager, identified only as C.W., were allegedly in one group, while Greer and the two Smallwood brothers were in the other group.
A witness told detectives that someone from Greer’s group yelled toward Serell’s group several times. Then a member of Serell’s group turned and fired a handgun several times toward Greer’s group, the witness told police.
C.W. allegedly was the first one to shoot, according to court documents. The shots missed those in Greer’s group, but appeared to strike an innocent juvenile bystander in the leg and groin.
Surveillance video allegedly shows Greer and both Smallwood brothers drawing handguns from their waistbands in response to the shots being fired. The two brothers fired at the other group and Greer ran behind a concession stand while still holding his handgun.
The video shows dozens of uninvolved people outside and nearby while the shots were being fired, according to the court document.
C.W. then allegedly ran along the east side of the school and took cover behind a gray SUV, where he continued to shoot. Greer and Michael Smallwood pursued C.W. All three continued to exchange gunfire, according to court documents. C.W. then ran south while the remaining members in his group fled the area.
At the same time, Serell ran east from the high school across Howell Street toward a grass median. Surveillance video allegedly shows that Greer, before firing on C.W., and Lavon’Dre Smallwood were chasing after Serell. They both were firing in Serell’s direction.
According to the court document, Serell fell to the ground and was struck in the hip and leg by gunfire. Surveillance footage shows Serell raising a black handgun at Lavon’Dre Smallwood. Serell allegedly admitted to firing one shot, and then his gun jammed.
Lavon’Dre Smallwood ran at Serell as he lay injured on the ground and fired multiple shots, striking Serell in the right foot. Smallwood then fled, followed by Greer.
Serell was taken to a hospital by two members of his group, where he was treated for three gunshot wounds, including one bullet that traveled from his hip, through his leg and exited near his ankle, according to the court document.
Crime scene investigators found more than 50 spent shell casings of various sizes — 9mm, 10mm, .40-caliber and .45-caliber.
Thompson has previously declined to answer whether a juvenile was charged in the case. Clay County Circuit Court does not release information about juvenile cases.
