Three men charged after allegedly firing at Independence officers during police chase
Three men were charged for shooting at Independence officers last week in a police chase that traveled from Independence into Kansas City, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday.
The men are charged with unlawful use of a weapon and various additional charges when some of them allegedly shot at Independence police officers during a police chase on Oct. 12 near Interstate 70 and Interstate 435. Neither of the officers were injured, and their vehicle was not hit.
Kammron C. Tucker, 27, is also charged with three counts of armed criminal action and two counts of second-degree assault. James L. Grant, 25, faces an additional three counts of armed criminal action, and 23-year-old Zabdiel B. Caballero-Ochoa is also charged with resisting arrest, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The chase started around 10:30 a.m. when officers saw a vehicle they believed was involved in an armed disturbance in the 1200 block of South Franklin Drive, said Jack Taylor, a spokesman for the Independence Police Department. The nature of the disturbance was still being investigated.
Kansas City police responded to the area of I-70 and I-435 to assist Independence police after individuals inside the vehicle had allegedly fired shots at the officers, according to court documents. Detectives looked at surveillance video that allegedly showed gunfire from the suspect vehicle directed at the officers during a portion of the case.
The suspect vehicle allegedly reached 100 mph during the chase before it stopped at the on-ramp to I-435 Northbound from U.S. 40 Highway. Police took three suspects into custody who fled on foot, according to court records. Caballero-Ochoa, who had been driving, was arrested at the vehicle.
One of the suspects, who was arrested with a handgun that had been reported stolen, was a juvenile, according to court records.
A 9mm Taurus handgun was recovered outside the suspect vehicle, and an area canvass found three spent 9mm shell casings, a live round and an additional 9mm handgun, according to court records.
Six 9mm shell casings and one live round were found in the suspect vehicle, and an additional firearm that was thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit has not been located.
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 9:54 AM.
