A Kansas City man has been charged for his alleged involvement in a Johnson County shooting that injured three – including two minors – in April.
Demetris Taylor, 20, was charged with aggravated battery on two separate victims after a traffic camera captured a green Dodge Challenger chasing the victim’s gray Chevrolet Cruze down Shawnee Mission Parkway after 10 p.m. on April 3, 2022, according to documents filed in Johnson County District Court last month.
The victim was shot on the highway after a confrontation over a stolen backpack at Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Shawnee, prosecutors said.
According to court documents, one of the victims told detectives at the hospital that he and a friend were approached by a group of seven to eight people who began chasing them out of the parking lot. He said none of his friends know anything about a backpack.
The victims drove to a nearby gas station, where a green Dodge Challenger stopped them.
After maneuvering through the curb to escape the Challenger, both vehicles continued driving until they reached Shawnee Mission Parkway, where the victim reported hearing several rounds of gunshots as they drove.
One victim told police the car followed them through several red lights. Several occupants were hit by bullets, while others were unharmed.
“Boom, shots fired into the car,” the victim told police. “A few more shots were fired, and I was hit.”
Officers recovered eight cartridge cases from the scene.
Days after the incident, Merriam police released a photo of the suspect’s car and its license plate number in hopes of finding the party responsible. The police later determined that it belonged to Taylor.
According to prosecutors, surveillance cameras outside the trampoline park captured Taylor and other occupants exiting the Challenger. Prosecutors accused Taylor of signing a waiver for the park earlier that day.
Taylor was arrested on January 10 and later posted a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 8.
Court documents say one of the victims was shot in the back of the head and required surgery. Another victim was shot in the right elbow. The other victim’s injuries were not detailed, and there was no immediate information on the victim’s recovery status.
