KC man accused of fatally shooting man who was trying to stop a fight, prosecutor says
A Kansas City man has been charged after he was accused of shooting and killing another person who witnesses say was trying to defuse an argument outside a liquor store last month, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.
Jhermeil R. Taylor, 31, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Nov. 15 shooting death of Gerald D. Berry Jr.
The shooting happened before midnight outside the Cloud 9 Liquor Store at 7510 E. 87th St. in Kansas City.
Kansas City police officers were called to the store to investigate a reported disturbance involving a weapon. Arriving officers found Berry, 38, lying in the parking lot with a gunshot wound. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Two witnesses told police Berry was trying to de-escalate an argument that was taking place between his cousin and Taylor before shots were exchanged.
According to a probable cause statement, detectives obtained and reviewed the store’s surveillance video, which reportedly showed the cousin and Taylor arguing. Berry appears to raise his hand in attempt to stop the fighting. The video showed the cousin throwing a punch at Taylor, who ducked away, allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot Berry.
Berry then took out his gun and fired shots toward Taylor as Taylor ran away, court records state. Taylor allegedly fired more shots as he ran, got into a car and left the scene.
In an interview with police, the cousin said he was going to the store that night to get snacks and that Taylor contacted him and wanted to meet up. The witness said he also met with his cousin, Berry, and another friend outside the store.
The cousin and his girlfriend described Taylor as acting aggressively and threatening people that night, and that Berry was trying to calm people down. The cousin stated he then saw Taylor “fumbling” in his pocket. Afraid Taylor had a weapon, the witness said he punched Taylor and then got out of the way when he heard gunfire.
Berry began to shoot back, the cousin stated. He tried to help Berry, he said, but the victim’s gun was jammed.
Police also interviewed a third witness who was with Taylor at the time of the incident. The witness stated they were meeting someone at Cloud 9 to buy marijuana, but while they were there, Taylor got into an argument with a man. She said the man tried to punch Taylor, and another person pulled out a gun and began firing shots. Taylor also started shooting, she said. The witness stated she heard a bullet strike a vehicle they arrived in. The two drove away after the incident.
The witnesses who were with Berry denied trying to sell marijuana to Taylor.
At a vigil last month, Berry’s mother called for the community to turn in her son’s suspected killer. She said Berry, a father of two children, was “at the wrong place at the wrong time” when he was shot.
On Tuesday, Taylor went to police headquarters with an attorney. He declined to provide a statement to police, court records state. Taylor’s attorney has not yet been listed in online public records.
The prosecutor’s office filed charges against Taylor on Wednesday. He was booked into the Jackson County jail with bond set at $150,000.
