Man charged with murder after shooting near Kansas City restaurant kills 20-year-old
A Kansas City, Kansas, man was charged with murder after a 20-year-old was shot amid a road rage incident near a Kansas City restaurant and died days later.
Richard Guerrero was charged with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action in the killing of Adrian Velez-Esparza, who died days after he was shot inside a vehicle that then crashed into La Bodega, 703 Southwest Blvd.
Officers responded around 7:26 p.m. on June 29 to a shooting in the 700 block of Southwest Boulevard, where they found Velez-Esparza in the driver seat of a black Acura sedan with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to the probable cause statement.
Emergency medical crews transported Velez-Esparza to a hospital, where he died July 1.
Witnesses told police they were walking in the area, when they heard cars honking and saw Velez-Esparza arguing with another driver from his car. Then, witnesses said they heard what sounded like two gunshots, and the Acura slowly rolled until it crashed into a wall in the outdoor seating area of La Bodega, according to the probable cause statement.
One witness told police that he was stopped at a red light near the restaurant, when he saw the Acura make a U-turn and stop near a dark-colored Chevrolet sedan.
After the Chevrolet driver stuck his elbow out the window, the witness said he heard two gunshots. He then saw the driver flinch and the Acura roll until it crashed into the restaurant, according to the probable cause statement.
The Chevrolet fled the scene, and the witness confirmed that a Chevrolet Malibu seen on the security camera footage matched the vehicle he saw, the probable cause statement said.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the Chevrolet but didn’t find any weapons.
On July 2, detectives watched security camera footage in the area that showed the two vehicles driving at a high speed, and the Acura appeared to be chasing the Chevrolet, according to the probable cause statement.
Additional security cameras helped detectives find the route of the Chevrolet after it left the scene and its license plate number. Police found Guerrero as the registered owner of the vehicle, according to the probable cause statement.
On Friday, Johnson County sheriff’s deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers told police they stopped the Chevrolet, which was driving on Interstate 35 near 67th Street in Merriam. Detectives responded and confirmed the Chevrolet matched the vehicle they saw on security footage, and Guerrero was detained, the probable cause statement said.
Guerrero allegedly told detectives that he had been driving on Southwest Boulevard with his friend in the passenger seat, when an Acura pulled up next to them and Velez-Esparza yelled and gestured at Guerrero, according to the probable cause statement.
While driving, Guerrero said Velez-Esparza “chased” his car northbound on Southwest Boulevard and threw water bottles at his car. When they stopped at a light near La Bodega, Guerrero told detectives that Velez-Esparza threw another water bottle at his car and continued to yell at make gestures at him, the probable cause statement said.
Guerrero told detectives he felt threatened and allegedly took a 9mm handgun from his center console, fired one shot at Velez-Esparza and fled home, according to the probable cause statement.
This story was originally published July 14, 2024 at 11:43 AM.
