30-year-old KC man charged with murder, accused of shooting teenager over fistfight

A 30-year-old Kansas City man is charged with murder, accused of shooting a teenager to death during a fight in August.

Brandon E. Neal faces charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said Tuesday in a news release.

Neal is accused of killing 17-year-old Raphael Butler-Grimmett, a Boy Scout employee who was expecting his first child.

Relatives told The Kansas City Star that the teenager was gunned down after he had been beating a man in a fistfight about 5 a.m. Aug. 25.

A Kansas City police officer patrolling nearby heard eight gunshots and saw a man running from a home in the 6800 block of Cleveland Avenue.

Police said the man got into a Dodge Charger and fled the area, prompting a police chase. The pursuit went into Kansas City, Kan., where the car crashed. The driver, identified in court records as Devon Nolan, was taken into custody.

Witnesses told police that Nolan had gotten into a fight with Raphael and his mother in the home. The fight continued outside on the front lawn. A friend of Nolan’s, identified as Neal, was also outside when the altercation took place, witnesses said.

Court records said Neal pulled out a handgun, chased the teenager and shot him multiple times.

Earlier in the day, Nolan had picked up Neal and went over to the home on Cleveland Avenue, Nolan told police. Nolan also told police he had been drinking.

Nolan said he had an argument with Raphael’s mother over a debit card, and the fight turned physical. He was fighting with Raphael outside when he heard gunshots.

Nolan said he didn’t see Neal pull the trigger, but said Neal was the only person armed with a gun at the scene.

After the shooting, Nolan drove away with Neal and dropped him off at some point before being arrested.

Prosecutors filed charges against Neal on Tuesday, and his bond was set at $250,000 cash.

This story was originally published September 18, 2018 at 5:59 PM.