Man who fatally shot transgender woman in Kansas City gets diversion for gun charge
A man who said he fatally shot a transgender woman in self-defense in 2019 — months after she was aggressively arrested by police, leading to charges against two officers — has received diversion.
Jackson County prosecutors charged Allan Robinson, now 60, in January 2020 with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon in the Oct. 14, 2019, killing of 30-year-old Breona “BB” Hill.
Robinson was initially set to stand trial Feb. 14, 2022, and had he been convicted, would have faced at least two years in prison. But he received diversion, which his defense attorney, Jonathan Bortnick, called “appropriate.”
Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, said Robinson’s claim of self-defense “was clear” in charging documents.
Hill, who is Black, was known throughout Kansas City because before she was killed, two officers, Matthew Brummett and Charles Prichard, were seen on a video slamming her head into the ground and kneeling on her neck as she cried out during a May 2019 arrest. The officers, who are no longer with the Kansas City Police Department, were charged with third-degree felony assault.
The officers, who are white, are set to stand trial July 25. They have pleaded not guilty.
Five months after Hill’s encounter with police, Robinson shot her at 4347 Hardesty Avenue and then called 911, according to charging documents. Robinson was taken into custody without incident.
A witness who lived with Robinson told police they allowed Hill to stay there. Because Robinson was leaving for work, the witness said he wanted Hill to leave too. Robinson offered to take Hill wherever she wanted to go, the witness said.
But Hill became “agitated” and started arguing with the witness and Robinson, detectives wrote. Hill pulled out a can of pepper spray and began spraying it, the witness told police. He then heard a gunshot and saw Hill on the ground.
At police headquarters downtown, Robinson also said he was leaving for work and told Hill she had to leave. Hill, however, refused to leave and said she had a meeting with a lawyer, according to court documents.
Robinson said he was “fearful for himself” and the witness, so he fired two “warning shots,” according to charging documents. Hill then pepper sprayed them, so Robinson fired a gunshot at the victim, he said.
Hill dropped to the floor, got up and ran to a bathroom, where she was found dead. A detective said it appeared Hill was shot twice.
In charging documents filled out 10 days after the shooting, a homicide detective used the pronoun “he” to describe Hill, who identified as a transgender woman.
Hill’s loved ones could not immediately be reached for comment.
