Man fought with woman before shooting her near Olathe shopping center, records say
A man charged with attempted murder allegedly demanded money and got in a fight with the victim before shots were fired near an Olathe shopping center last month, according to court records released Thursday.
Landon James Smith, 28, is charged in Johnson County District Court with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, criminal discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and criminal discharge of a firearm into an occupied building.
The shooting happened on the night of Feb. 26 in the 13500 block of South Mur-Len Road.
According to court records, arriving officers found a woman with two gunshot wounds in her abdomen and one in her arm. The woman was found sitting on the ground in a grassy area east of an Edward Jones office.
The woman identified Smith from a photo lineup, court records said.
She told police she had met Smith earlier in the day at a McDonald’s in Olathe and later went to Smith’s residence.
After a brief time, she left the home and got in Smith’s car where he had a handgun, court records said. The woman said Smith drove her around and parked behind the Edward Jones office. That’s when she said Smith demanded money and got into a fight with her inside the car, court records said.
After getting out of the car, the woman told police he shot her three times.
Police were still at the scene when they saw Smith driving away in an Acura car.
Court records said he sped away from police, ran a red light at the intersection of East Cedar Street and South Mur-Len Road and crashed into a Chevrolet vehicle. Smith got out of the car and ran away but was soon apprehended by two officers.
When police asked Smith why he ran, he allegedly told officers, “I’m drunk,” court records said.
Police said they weren’t able to interview Smith about the incident because he was acting belligerent and threatening officers. He later declined to answer questions.
At the shooting scene, police found 13 shell casings and a Glock 21 handgun. Police also recovered a spent round from a vehicle in the shopping center parking lot and found damage to an employee-access door at Keller Williams Realty, south of where the shooting happened.
Witnesses at the shopping center told police they heard gunfire. One witness described seeing a man throwing something near a bush, getting into the Acura car and speeding away.
Smith remains in the Johnson County jail with bond set at $500,000.
The next court hearing is scheduled for March 18.
