Kansas City man will spend 20 years in prison for shooting his wife

A Platte County man was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for shooting his wife during a domestic violence incident inside their Kansas City, North, home.

Travis Potter, 42, was sentenced after pleading guilty in Platte County Circuit Court to first-degree assault and armed criminal action. The assault happened early Feb. 4, 2014.

“This defendant shot his wife with an assault rifle, resulting in the loss of her leg,” Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said in a statement. “Thankfully, neighbors called the Kansas City Police Department and officers intervened, likely saving her life by shooting and disarming the defendant.”

Officers were called to a residence in a cul-de-sac between North Congress Avenue and Northwest Prairie View Road, just south of Barry Road near Interstate 29. They found the victim with a gunshot wound to her leg. Potter was standing beside her, armed with a rifle.

The officers ordered Potter to drop his weapon. When he refused, the officers shot Potter in the right arm, causing him to drop the rifle. He was arrested.

Potter had left the home intoxicated earlier that evening. He returned the following morning, kicked in the door and told his wife he was going to kill her.

He shot the woman as she ran from the home. Potter argued with a neighbor who had intervened. Police arrived a short time later, Zahnd said.

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Kansas City man will spend 20 years in prison for shooting his wife."