Man accused of firing shots in Westport over the weekend faces new charges
A Kansas City man has been charged with firing shots in a Westport parking lot over the weekend.
Isaiah B. Staples, 27, faces charges of unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to a news release from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Around 2 a.m. Sunday, officers were patrolling the area of Westport Road and Mill Street when they were notified of a disturbance, Capt. David Jackson, a spokesman with the police department, said at the time.
The officers saw a suspect, now identified as Staples, firing shots in a parking lot near 535 Westport Road, according to charging documents filed Monday.
Another officer said he saw Staples shooting from behind a black two-door vehicle, court records show. He was aiming the gun west, toward World Market, police said.
“One officer fired his weapon at the suspect in order to stop him from continuing to shoot at people,” Jackson said in an email Sunday.
Staples was not hit by the gunfire, Jackson said, and no one was injured by Staples’ gunfire.
After firing the shots, Staples began to run in the direction of Mill Street. He lead police on a brief foot chase before he was taken into custody, court records show.
Officers found several spent shell casings near the shooting scene, records show. They also found two vehicles in the area that had been damaged by bullets. Surveillance footage showed three other vehicles leaving a nearby parking lot as soon as the shots began.
Police also found a gun in a trash can near where Staples was arrested, according to the charging documents.
In an interview with police, Staples said he was at Westport with friends early Sunday, according to court records. He denied firing the shots, instead telling investigators he was rolling a blunt in the parking lot when the shooting began.
Staples was previously convicted of second-degree robbery. He is currently on parole, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Prosecutors have requested that Staples’ bond be set at $75,000 cash only.
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