Kansas City man allegedly fired AK-47 into crowd, killing woman on Southwest Boulevard
Prosecutors have charged a 30-year-old Kansas City man with second-degree murder in a shooting Wednesday on Southwest Boulevard that left one woman dead and another injured.
Diego Calderon-Guzman is accused of killing 20-year-old Daisy S. Martinez, according to court documents released Saturday by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office. Calderon-Guzman also faces charges of unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of armed criminal action.
Calderon-Guzman allegedly told detectives that he fired the shots when a fight broke out during a Mexico Independence Day celebration shortly before 11 p.m. near West 27th Street and Southwest Boulevard, according to court documents.
Martinez and another woman were struck by gunfire. Arriving officers found the two victims lying on the sidewalk. They were rushed to a hospital where Martinez died.
Police said a group of “dozens if not hundreds” of people had gathered there as part of the celebration and numerous cars were leaving the area when they arrived.
Detectives canvassing the crime scene found surveillance cameras in the area of the homicide. While reviewing the footage, detectives observed a large crowd and large number of vehicles driving toward the camera, according to court documents.
The video showed a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup with a red LED light street and a large Mexican flag affixed to the center rear bumper in a parking lot.
Two men ran to the truck and one unlocked the door on the driver side. The other man opened the passenger side door and allegedly pulled out what appeared to be a chrome AK-47, according to court documents.
Meanwhile, a crowd of people, which included Martinez, were seen running down the street and through the parking lot. The man allegedly fired the rifle toward the street and Martinez fell to the ground in the parking lot, according to court documents.
The man got into the truck and left the parking lot. Martinez could be seen lying face down.
While investigating the shooting, officers learned the alleged shooter was seen fleeing in the truck. Officer also were able to get the truck’s license plate number, then a description of the truck was broadcast over police radio, according to court documents.
Officers on patrol spotted the truck near East 12th Street and Jackson Avenue and tried to pull it over. The driver of the truck allegedly refused and sped away.
Police chased the truck, which they said reached speeds of 70 mph on streets through residential areas. Eventually, the truck stopped at East 23rd Street and Agnes Avenue, where police took the driver, who is also the truck’s owner, and a passenger into custody, according to court documents.
Inside the truck, police allegedly found a chrome-plated AK-47-style rifle and a cellphone.
Suspect questioned by police
When being questioned by police, the owner of the truck told detectives that he and his passenger, who is his cousin, had been initially been at the Legends shopping center in Kansas City for a “truck cruise” before they went down to Southwest Boulevard, court records show.
The driver told police that after awhile, people started running toward him, so he and his cousin got into the truck and left.
The driver told police that neither he nor his cousin fired any weapons, court records show. He also told police the rifle in the truck was his and that there was also a handgun in the truck.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the truck and recovered the rifle. The Kansas City Police Department’s Crime Lab concluded the rifle matched the shell cases found at the scene.
Under further questioning, detectives showed the driver a photo from the surveillance video of a passenger entering the truck. The driver allegedly identified the person as Calderon-Guzman, a family friend, and that it was Calderon-Guzman who shot the victim, according to court documents.
Police took Calderon-Guzman into custody on Friday, records show.
During questioning, Calderon-Guzman said he was on Southwest Boulevard for the celebrations and at one point people started fighting and shooting guns.
Calderon-Guzman allegedly told detectives that he ran to the truck, grabbed the rifle and fired shots at people he believed were shooting at him, according to court documents.
He got back into the truck and the truck’s owner started to drive out of the parking lot. Calderon-Guzman said he saw Martinez lying on the ground and told the owner to stop, court records show.
Calderon-Guzman allegedly admitted to being convicted of the felony of indecent liberties with a child in June 2013 in Wyandotte County, court records show. Calderon-Guzman admitted he was not allowed to possess firearms because of the conviction.
Prosecutors have requested that bond be set at $500,000.
Gun violence will be the subject of a new, statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America and sponsored in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. As part of this project, The Star will seek the community’s help.
To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.
This story was originally published September 20, 2020 at 12:32 AM.
