Man facing murder charges in fatal shooting near Jazz District in June
A Kansas City man is facing second-degree murder charges following a June fatal shooting near Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine District.
William Sipple, 40, faces one count each of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to a Jackson County charging document. Additionally, he faces two counts of armed criminal action.
Officers with the Kansas City Police Department were dispatched to the area of East Truman Road and Prospect Avenue around 3:30 a.m. on June 15, according to a probable cause statement in support of Sipple’s arrest.
There, officers found Jalin Brewer, 24, suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. Brewer was transported to an area hospital, where he died on June 30.
Investigators determined the shooting occurred in the parking lot of an apartment building in the 1900 block of Vine Street, according to the probable cause affidavit . Security footage from the building showed a disturbance occurring between those believed to be involved in the shooting before leaving the camera’s view.
In an interview with officers, a man told investigators he spoke with people who were present at the time of the altercation, according to the probable cause affidavit. He told officers that to his understanding, the incident started after another man slapped a woman at the scene.
The man said Sipple appeared during the altercation and became involved, brandishing a firearm, according to the affidavit. The man alleges Sipple apologized to him for shooting Brewer, saying he “did not intend” for Brewer to become injured.
Police conducted an interview with another man involved in the altercation. He told investigators he had been hanging out with Brewer before meeting up with a group of people in Westport.
The group eventually split up, and met again at the parking lot on Vine Street, the man told investigators. He allegedly got into an altercation with Brewer after the witness slapped his girlfriend, according to the probable cause statement.
As the pair fought, the probable cause affidavit states Sipple knocked the witness to the ground. While he was on the ground, the witness reportedly heard a single gunshot and observed Sipple tucking something into his waistband.
Two more witnesses corroborated the man’s version of events and were able to identify Sipple as the shooter in a photo lineup, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Sipple is being held in the Jackson County Detention Center on a $300,000 cash-only bond, according to the jail’s inmate listing. There are no further court dates set in his case.
