Second brother sentenced in 2024 North Kansas City High School shooting
A Clay County judge sentenced the second of two brothers charged in the shooting that injured two people and sent the crowd at a North Kansas City High School basketball game scrambling for safety in March 2024.
Lavon’Dre M. Smallwood, 20, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty in October to two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon for his role in the incident, according to court records. He was sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison.
Judge Shane T. Alexander sentenced Smallwood to 7 years in prison on one count of second-degree assault and 6 years on a second count of second-degree assault. Alexander also imposed sentences of 4 years and 3 years on two counts of unlawful use of a weapon. The weapon sentences will run consecutively to the first 7-year assault sentence, for a total of 14 years in prison.
Smallwood’s brother, 20-year-old Michael Smallwood of Kansas City, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in June after he pleaded guilty to 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.
A third man, 21-year-old Nathaniel M. Greer of Independence, pleaded guilty Feb. 9 to one count each of second-degree assault, third-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon, all felonies. Sentencing was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on April 24.
A fourth man, 20-year-old Je’Kwon D. Serell of Kansas City, is awaiting trial on one count of unlawful use of a weapon for his alleged role in the shooting. He is scheduled to stand trial on March 30 in Clay County Circuit Court.
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 and injured a student bystander and an adult. 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 hundreds of spectators scurrying for safety.
Prosecutors alleged that the gunfire stemmed from a dispute between two groups, who had been at the basketball game and left around 6 p.m. A member of one of the groups began yelling at the other group, telling them to leave. A member of the other group drew a gun and began shooting, and then members of the other group drew guns and returned fire.
