Independence man allegedly shot neighbor over fight about fireworks, racial slurs
A 37-year-old Independence man is accused of shooting his neighbor on Tuesday after a dispute that began hours beforehand when the neighbor allegedly pointed a shotgun at him and called him the N-word for launching fireworks in observance of Independence Day, according to court records.
Nakki T. White, of Independence, was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action, both felonies, Jackson County Circuit Court records show. An arrest warrant calling for White to be held on a $100,000 bond was served by Independence police Wednesday.
Shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday, Independence police were dispatched to the 200 block of Sea Avenue on a reported shooting. Investigators interviewed witnesses there who described hearing an argument between White and the man who was shot, whose name is redacted in court papers, before a single gunshot was fired.
The man shot during the dispute was seen on the ground by one witness, who called 911. Officer Jack Taylor, a department spokesman, said Thursday that the man, who was shot in the chest, was hospitalized as of Wednesday but was expected to recover from the injury.
Police officers had been called to investigate an earlier dispute on the block that unfolded around 12:30 a.m. involving the same two men. At the time, a witness reported to police that the neighbor had been yelling racial slurs at White for launching fireworks.
Another witness, who resided with White on the block, also described that earlier encounter to police. She added that the neighbor had approached them hours earlier and pointed a shotgun at White.
After the shooting Tuesday afternoon, the SWAT team was dispatched to the scene in an attempt to bring White into police custody from his home. He exited the house and surrendered to police shortly after a negotiator called the house’s listed phone number, the charging document says.
During a police interview, White allegedly admitted to shooting his neighbor but noted he was “scared and agitated” about the earlier encounter during the confrontation, a detective wrote in the charging papers. He also allegedly said the neighbor had threatened him with a shotgun hours before while he was with his girlfriend, nieces and nephews.
As of Thursday, court records did not list an attorney for White who could speak on his behalf.
