Man faces multiple felonies in highway shooting of KC-area nursing student
A Kansas City man is facing multiple felony charges after a highway shooting left a woman hospitalized in critical condition.
Jamahn Tatum, 20, is charged in Jackson County Circuit Court with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action, court records show.
The charges stem from a shooting on May 4th that left 19-year-old JayLee Gross hospitalized after helping a friend change a flat tire in Kansas City.
The shooting
Officers responded just before 12:30 a.m. to a call about the sound of gunfire on U.S. 71 Highway. They found Gross in the front seat of a Kia K5 with a single gunshot wound to her head, according to court documents.
Officers spoke with Gross’ boyfriend Damon Culter at the scene, who told police that a friend called them saying they had a flat tire on the highway and needed help. They responded to help the friend, got the tire changed, and went to get back on the highway to go home.
Culter said as he tried to merge, he couldn’t get onto the highway without getting in front of the suspect’s vehicle, described as a black Ford Fusion with tinted windows. The suspect’s vehicle then passed Culter on the left side, got in front of him and brake checked him, he told police.
Gross then rolled her window down and yelled at the suspects, “why the f**** did you cut us off?” and flipped them off, according to court documents. Culter said heard the suspect state “go ahead and pull over,” and told police he saw a woman in the passenger seat.
Eventually, as Culter continued driving north on U.S. 71, he saw the suspect vehicle take an exit ramp. Then he heard around six gunshots and glass shattering. He asked Gross if she was OK, then saw she was bleeding from her head and unresponsive, court documents say.
Officers canvassed the area of the shooting and found 9mm shell casings.
Gross’ father, Bradley Gross, said in a text Saturday that she was still in the hospital.
“JayLee is making small progress, still critical,” he said.
Brandon Gross said he is glad someone has been charged in the shooting and is still holding onto hope for justice.
Police interview Tatum
According to court documents, police saw on surveillance cameras a dark sedan, consistent with a Ford Fusion, driving in the area just 16 seconds after the shooting.
Police saw the same sedan driving in other locations leading up to the shooting and identified Tatum as a suspect using a license plate reader.
Tatum was arrested Thursday. During a search of Tatum’s residence, officers found a box of 9mm ammunition, according to court documents.
In an interview with police, he initially denied having a 9mm handgun and driving in the area of the shooting. After police told him they knew he was in the area, he gave a statement saying he was acting in self-defense, according to court documents.
Tatum allegedly told police that the victim’s car nearly hit his while he was driving on the highway. He said Gross’ vehicle then proceeded to brake check him. He allegedly admitted to firing shots at Gross’ vehicle as he was exiting off the highway.
Tatum allegedly told police he sold the gun after the shooting. When a detective asked Tatum why he didn’t call police if he acted in self-defense, he told the detective he didn’t think it was that serious until he saw Gross was in the hospital, according to court records.
Tatum is being held in the Jackson County jail on a $100,000 bond, according to online booking records. As of Saturday, no court date has been scheduled yet in the case.
