Blue Springs man charged with murder after fatal shooting in QuikTrip parking lot
A 20-year-old Blue Springs man stands accused of murder in the fatal shooting of a teenager in a suburban QuikTrip parking lot late Tuesday, according to recent filings in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Anthony C. Pasquale, 20, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action, according to court documents. He surrendered to Independence police on Wednesday.
Court records did not show an attorney who could be reached to speak on Pasquale’s behalf.
Around 7:53 p.m. Tuesday, Independence police responded to reports of a shooting that had just occurred at a QuikTrip located just off of U.S. 24 Highway near Missouri 291, Officer John Syme, a spokesman for the Independence Police Department, said in a video posted on the department’s Facebook page.
The victim was later identified as 18-year-old Xavier Plotner of Blue Springs. He was pronounced dead at the scene roughly three minutes after an ambulance arrived, court records state.
Authorities allege Pasquale encountered Plotner after they had both pulled up to the gas station’s pumps. One witness later interviewed by detectives said Pasquale and Plotner knew each other and suggested there may have been an ongoing argument between them in regard to the recent killing of Pasquale’s friend.
Investigating officers reviewed security footage of the events that took place. They learned that around 7:50 p.m., Pasquale arrived at the filling station and began to pump gas into his silver Honda, according to a probable cause statement seeking charges against Pasquale.
Roughly one minute later, Plotner pulled into the parking lot at the next gas pump. He was seen sitting in his car until Pasquale approached with an object he took from his silver Honda and he placed his hand on Plotner’s car door, court documents state.
Shortly after, the video officers reviewed shows Plotner emerge from his car and begin throwing punches at Pasquale, the statement said. Pasquale then was seen pointing a gun at Plotner before shooting him in the chest, authorities allege.
Plotner was also seen running away “frantically” toward the convenience store, the documents said, and collapsed after hitting the door near its west entrance. Pasquale was then seen driving away from the station, the court records state.
Investigating officers worked with the QuikTrip staff to determine Pasquale’s credit card had been used to purchase gasoline from the station, court documents said, and used that information to begin seeking his arrest.
Around 11 p.m. Tuesday, a patrol officer stopped a different car Pasquale was traveling in. The officer was unable to contact a supervisor to get details about Pasquale’s alleged involvement with the shooting and Pasquale was allowed to leave, according to court documents.
Pasquale surrendered to Independence police on Wednesday. The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office has requested he be held on a $150,000 bond.
Plotner’s killing marks the third homicide investigated by the Independence Police Department so far this year.
The Star’s Anna Spoerre contributed to this report.
Gun violence is the subject of a 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 March 18, 2021 at 5:38 PM.
