Kansas City man charged in road rage shooting; told police he did nothing wrong
A 23-year-old Kansas City man is facing felony charges in an alleged road rage shooting that was caught on video in March in Kansas City, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office charged Javion J. Jackson with one count of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of armed criminal action, and one count of first-degree assault.
If convicted, Jackson could face up to 30 years, or life in prison, on the unlawful use of the weapon and assault charges, according to court documents.
Records show that prosecutors charged Jackson in mid-May and issued a warrant for his arrest. Kansas City police arrested him on Monday and he made his initial court appearance that afternoon. Jackson is being held in Jackson County jail on a $75,000 bond.
According to court documents, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at East Truman Road and Interstate 435, where they found a victim who had been shot in his right arm. The victim was taken to a hospital. His injuries required multiple hospital stays and surgeries.
Police found the victim’s black Chevrolet Tahoe. Inside, they found blood but no other evidence, court documents said.
While en route, officers were notified that Jackson had pulled into the Kansas City Fire Department station parking lot. Firefighters told police that when Jackson pulled in, unloaded his firearm and cleared the chamber. He then placed it in the passenger side of the vehicle. Jackson allegedly signed a consent form allowing police to search his red Mitsubishi Mirage.
In a later interview by detectives, the victim told police he was driving from Independence when a driver, identified as Jackson, allegedly started tailgating him. Jackson then allegedly drove over into another lane and swerved at the victim, while using an obscene hand gesture. Jackson allegedly pulled in front of the victim, then pulled back behind the victim.
The victim told police he got out of his Tahoe and asked Jackson why he was attempting to “wreck him.” The victim told Jackson not to follow him. Jackson’s window was up, and while inside, he yelled at the victim. Jackson then allegedly fired his gun once, striking the victim.
Police said the two men were alone in their vehicles at the time of the incident.
Jackson told detectives that he was leaving Independence when he came across the Tahoe. Jackson told police the victim was braking aggressively, so he switched lanes to avoid being behind the other driver.
Jackson said he then saw the Tahoe’s passenger window roll down and the victim become agitated. Jackson eventually got back into the same lane as the Tahoe. At that point, the other driver started braking again. When they got to a traffic light, he saw the Tahoe dip forward when the driver hit the brakes hard.
According to the court documents, the victim then got out. Jackson said he could tell the victim was in an “aggressive mood,” and the victim began yelling, including that he was going to grab Jackson out of the car.
The victim then struck Jackson’s window with his fist. Jackson told police that he believed the encounter was going to keep escalating, so he shot his gun.
Jackson allegedly said the victim “did not deserve it because he might have been having a bad day, but just because he was having a bad day, he can’t take it out on other people.”
According to court documents, Jackson believed he had done nothing wrong. He told detectives he fired his gun once, and afterward he called police and went to a fire station to wait for officers to tell his side of the story.
Police later obtained video that showed both vehicles heading west and approaching the stoplight at I-435. The victim exited the Tahoe and walked back toward the Mitsubishi while yelling.
The video allegedly showed the victim turning to walk back toward his SUV, and then reapproach the Mitsubishi. The victim could be heard yelling obscenities. The victim appeared to pound on the driver’s window, where Jackson remained seated.
As the victim appeared to start to walk away, a gunshot rang out, and the Mitsubishi’s driver’s window shattered, the video showed, prosecutors alleged.
