Prosecutors charge Kansas City teen who allegedly shot girlfriend in the head by mistake
A Kansas City teenager faces criminal charges for the killing of his girlfriend after he told investigators he accidentally shot her in the head while waving his gun around during an argument.
Jackson County prosecutors charged Sirtain Wilson Jr., 18, on Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the April shooting death of Zameyanna Williams, also 18. As of Wednesday, Wilson was being held in the county jail on a $100,000 bond.
At 3:30 a.m. on April 8, Kansas City police officers responded to the 7800 block of East 48th Street for a reported disturbance. Responding officers were directed by family of the slain 18-year-old to the basement of a residence there, where she was found dead of a gunshot wound, according to charging documents filed Wednesday.
Wilson was detained at the scene.
Detectives discovered Williams, partially inside a northeast bedroom. She had gunshot wounds to her left index finger, which a bullet had appeared to have passed through, and left eye.
A .45 caliber handgun was located along with one spent shell casing. There was a damaged pair of eyeglasses, and one of the lenses was broken by apparent bullet damage.
Witnesses told detectives on scene the pair had been dating for roughly two years. One said they had a “toxic” relationship and that Wilson had admitted he “accidentally shot the victim.”
One witness told detectives Wilson at some point changed his story to say Williams had shot herself, according to court documents.
Wilson, who was 17 at the time of shooting, later told a deputy juvenile officer he had been putting the gun away when he started to wave it around out of frustration. He said he did not intend to shoot her.
In a statement Wilson wrote on whiteboard while being interviewed by the juvenile officer, the 18-year-old said he was in his room with someone when he awoke early that morning to Williams “cursing us out.” He said she brought him food, and they were in the middle of an argument when he grabbed the gun, raised it, waved it around and yelled.
“I would never hurt her on purpose I am very sorry. She never grabbed the gun,” he wrote, according to the court document.
Online court records did not list a defense attorney for Wilson as of Wednesday.
Under Missouri law, Wilson faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter. For first-time offenders, an armed criminal action conviction carries a maximum sentence of 15 years to be served consecutively after the underlying conviction.
Wilson is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing in the case Aug. 17.
