Prosecutors charge KC man in fatal Denver Avenue shooting

Jackson County prosecutors charged a 23-year-old Kansas City man in the shooting death of another man early Sunday in the 3900 block of Denver Avenue.

MarKivius Woods faces second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges in the fatal shooting of Austin Cupp, 23.

Officers responding to a disturbance call involving a weapon found Cupp in the yard mortally wounded. Cupp was rushed to a hospital where he later died.

Officers recovered four 7.62 TuloAmmo spent casings at the crime scene. Investigators later found an AK-47 rifle, loaded magazine and a live 7.62 TuloAmmo round inside a furnace closet at a residence in south Kansas City.

According to court records, Woods went to the residence to see his son. However, the boy’s mother complained that Woods showed up too early and asked him to leave. Woods asked if he could stay until his ride showed up. The two continued to argue when several others arrived.

One of the visitors asked the woman if she was OK. The woman replied that she was fine but had asked Woods to leave.

Woods went outside. A short time later, a witness allegedly heard Woods say, “This doesn’t concern you. Get off the property,” then heard gunshots, according to court records.

Woods later told investigators he went to the house to see his baby. Once there, he had an altercation with Cupp. At one point, Cupp reportedly lunged at Woods, who pulled out a long gun from a bag and allegedly fired what he described was a “warning shot” at the victim.

Cupp reportedly lunged at Woods two more times. Woods said he shot at Cupp again and ran away, court records stated.