One of two brothers charged in North Kansas City shooting sentenced to prison
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Michael Smallwood sentenced for role in 2024 shooting at North Kansas City High School
- Judge cited risk to public and rejected self-defense claim in guilty plea.
- Three other adults, including Smallwood’s brother, still face pending charges.
A Clay County judge on Friday sentenced one of two brothers charged in the shooting outside of North Kansas City High School last year to more than 10 years in a Missouri prison.
Michael Smallwood, 20, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty in March to amended charges of two counts of second-degree assault and one count of unlawful use of a weapon, all felonies. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of fourth-degree assault.
Judge Shane T. Alexander sentenced Smallwood to 7 years for one count of second-degree assault, which involved an innocent bystander, and 4 years for unlawful use of a weapon for bringing a gun into a school. Those sentences are to be served consecutively.
Alexander also sentenced Smallwood to 6 years on the other count of second-degree assault and 1 year for the misdemeanor count, which are to run concurrently with the other sentences. Those two charges were related to people involved in the shooting.
Alexander told Smallwood that it was a miracle that the shooting hadn’t become a mass casualty event. During sentencing, a police detective testified that police found 54 shell casings at the scene, including casings from 9mm, 10mm, .40-caliber and .45-caliber firearms.
The March 2, 2024, shooting on the North Kansas City High School campus happened at the end of a boy’s playoff basketball game between North Kansas City and Staley high schools. A speech and debate event was also taking place on the school’s campus. The sound of gunfire at the end of the game sent people scurrying for safety.
The case began as an altercation between two groups, said Clay County Prosecutor Zach Thompson. Words were first exchanged, and then there was gunfire.
“What that did was it put children and adults at risk just going to see a high school basketball game,” Thompson said.
Smallwood’s attorney, Linda Mock, requested the minimum sentence, if not probation. Mock asked the judge to consider that Smallwood was not the aggressor and that a member of the other group had started firing first. She also brought up the topic of self-defense.
Alexander, however, said that Smallwood waived his claim to self-defense by pleading guilty, including to bringing a firearm into a school.
Alexander added that the shooting didn’t have to happen and that Smallwood could have avoided the confrontation, but chose not to.
Thompson also said it was the prosecutor’s position that the shooting was not a case of self-defense.
“The defendant made a decision to bring a firearm inside of a school, which in and of itself is against the law,” Thompson said. “And then, after the defendant exchanged words with the other group of youths and gunshots were exchanged, the defendant actually advanced towards the other group and continued firing his weapon.”
Smallwood’s 19-year-old brother, Lavon’Dre Smallwood, and 21-year-old Nathaniel M. Greer also face gun-related charges, including bringing a loaded firearm into a school. A fourth adult, 20-year-old Je’Kwon D. Serell, who was in the other group, has also been charged with bringing a loaded firearm into a school. Those cases are still pending.
This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM.
