Masked man charged with 14 more crimes in south KC shooting spree, Raytown homicide
A masked man who allegedly carried out a deadly shooting spree in the south Kansas City area in early August is facing additional charges, according to a news release from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
A Jackson County grand jury handed up a superseding indictment containing 14 more felony charges against the man in the Aug. 2 shootings that left one person dead, as well as a July 31 fatal shooting in Raytown, the news release said.
Cameron Kejuan Lee Harper now faces two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of first-degree assault, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and eight counts of armed criminal action.
In early August, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office announced three initial charges against Harper, one of which was second-degree murder, relating to the shooting spree on Aug. 2. At the time, prosecutors said the investigation was continuing.
Black face mask with skull design
The morning of Aug. 2, police responded to three shootings, including the first at around 8:20 a.m. near Ruskin Way and Sycamore Street in Kansas City. The victim had multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital.
According to court documents, the suspect was described as wearing a black face mask with a skull design. Surveillance video revealed the suspect was driving a green Dodge Dakota with a lawnmower in the bed of the truck.
Eight minutes later, police were called to a second shooting less than a mile away at Longview Road and Food Lane. Video showed that a similar truck stopped or slowed down by the victim and a witness reacted to the gunfire, according to court documents.
At about 8:30 a.m., Grandview police responded to a fatal shooing in the 11900 block of Smalley Avenue, about a mile away.
Officers found the victim in the driver’s seat of a white Mazda 6, which was in the middle of the street with the engine still running and the gear in reverse. The car had struck the driver’s side of a vehicle that was parked on the street.
Although emergency medical aid was provided, the victim was declared dead shortly after. The victim’s car had four bullet holes in the windshield and seven in the driver’s side window, according to court documents.
Surveillance video from a nearby home showed a Dodge Dakota approach the victim’s house as the garage door opened. The victim was seen walking outside the garage as the truck pulled up in front of the driveway.
With three shootings within roughly 15 minutes, police went on an emergency search for the suspect. At 10:20 a.m., Kansas City police asked for the public’s help finding the suspect and released a photograph of his green Dodge Dakota truck.
An hour later, the suspect was arrested.
Truck tied to Raytown homicide
But as court documents reveal, investigators also tied the suspect’s vehicle to an earlier homicide in July.
Shortly after 8 p.m. on July 31, police responded to investigate a report that a man had been shot multiple times outside the Somerset Village apartments in the 9900 block of 60th Street in Raytown.
There, officers found 26-year-old Christian Rodriguez of Raytown on the lawn outside one of the buildings. He had been shot. He was taken to a hospital where he died a few days later.
Surveillance video from the area showed an older model green pickup truck with a lawnmower in the back, prosecutors said.
The victims in the shootings have no connection to each other or to Harper, prosecutors said.
This story was originally published October 6, 2023 at 3:55 PM.
