17 April 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Kansas City, Missouri’s chief of police and mayor, as well as the Clay County prosecuting attorney, came together Sunday for a news conference on the case of the teenager shot by a homeowner after visiting the wrong home the night of April 13.
The briefing coincided with a protest organized by The People’s Coalition near the scene of the incident called, “We Take Care of Our Own.”
KCPD Chief Stacey Graves addressed that protest Sunday, promising a complete and thorough review.
“I want everyone to know that I’m listening, and I understand the concern that we are receiving from the community,” Graves said. “The information that we have now, it does not say that it’s racially motivated. That’s still an active investigation, but as a chief of police, I do recognize the racial components of this case. I do recognize and understand the community’s concern and the community’s response to this particular incident.”
In this case, the homeowner was released pending further investigation. Graves addressed that, too.
“A person can be held up for 24 hours for investigation of a felony, at which time they’re required by Missouri law to be charged or released,” Graves said. “The vast majority of cases—to include violent crime—involve the suspect being released pending further investigation. In this case, the prosecutor requires more information from investigators that would take more than 24 hours to compile.”
After being pressed by FOX4, Graves added the homeowner is not viewed as a flight risk.
“[They are] cooperating, and we have taken [the potential for flight risk] into consideration,” Graves said. “That is something that we look at. But, even in this situation there is more that we need to glean from that incident to put that together for prosecutorial review.”
KCPD would not say who called 911 Thursday, calling it part of the active investigation. Officers would also not say how many times the teen was shot.
KCPD is hoping to speak with the teen soon. Police say he is in stable condition.
Officers are compiling a detailed case file to present to Clay Count Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson.
“There is a thorough investigation underway now,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said. “There will be a thorough review in the prosecutor’s office, and as with every case that comes through Kansas City, we will make sure we do all we can to be fair, to make sure that we’re as expeditious as possible, and more than anything to make sure that everyone—no matter their background—knows that justice can be obtained here in Kansas City.”