Jackson County prosecutors have charged the man police suspect killed a Kansas City, Kansas detective and fled police in Kansas City, Missouri, Monday afternoon with multiple felony counts.
Curtis Ayers, 28, is charged with first-degree assault, resisting arrest, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of armed criminal action, according to a news release from Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.
Previous story: KCK detective shot by suspect dies from injuries
Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome A. Gorman will announce charges in the killing of Kansas City Kansas Police Detective Brad Lancaster on Wednesday, May 11.
According to court documents, Kansas City police were dispatched to Bannister Road and 71 Highway on a vehicle that matched the description of a suspect vehicle involved in the shooting of a police officer in Kansas City, Kansas. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it refused and eventually crashed at Bannister and 71 Highway.
The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Ayers, fled from the suspect vehicle on foot. Officers saw the suspect was armed with a “long gun” as he ran from the vehicle, according to court records.
Investigators state Ayers confronted a woman who was stopped in traffic, pointing his gun at her and telling her to get out of the car. He then shot two rounds at her vehicle.
Court documents show when the woman realized she had been shot she pulled her vehicle over where she was later contacted by officers and medical personnel. The woman identified Ayers as the man who shot her.
A second person said he was driving on 71 Highway and said the suspect fired at his vehicle and struck it one time.
Court records say a police officer began to follow the suspect vehicle in the area of 69th and 71 Highway. The officer later saw it collide with one of the concrete bridge supports.
The officer saw the suspect on foot armed with a long gun. A second officer heard a gunshot coming from the area of 71 Highway.
He saw smoke coming from the suspect’s weapon and he fired a single shot from his patrol rifle, stopping the suspect, according to court documents. Other officers responded to the suspect, took him into custody and rendered medical attention.
Police sought Ayers after the shooting death of Lancaster, about 30-miles away near the Hollywood Casino.
41 Action News spoke with Ayers’ former boss Tuesday. He didn’t want his name published since he has not talked with Ayers for four months.
The former employer said he hired Ayers at his drywall company soon after his recent stint in prison.
“He was trying to clean his act up, he didn’t want to work in a bar anymore. I gave him a chance; he did well for a couple of weeks,” Ayers’ former boss said.
The job helped Ayers support his two sons.
“He would go home, spend evenings with them and he would come back to work talking about them. He loved his boys - he did,” Ayers’ former boss said.
Prosecutors have requested a $250,000 cash bond.
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