KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Center School District employee faces charges in a fatal shooting Friday, May 23, near West 39th Street and Broadway.
Marquis Ponder, 30, is charged with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
Kansas City, Missouri, police were called around 4 p.m. Friday to Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard on a traffic accident. While en route, officers learned the call was upgraded to a shooting.
Two motorcyclists witnessed the crime, per police.
Both told detectives they heard a gunshot and saw a man holding a gun. One witness said they saw the victim running away, too.
The two motorcyclists discussed what they saw while they were stopped at a red light at Westport and Broadway.
After the light turned green, a white SUV, which police identified as the victim's vehicle, hit one of the witnesses.
The other witness provided first aid for the struck motorcyclist before going to check out the striking vehicle, which crashed near 43rd and Broadway. When he got closer to the SUV, the witness saw that the driver was unresponsive and called police, per court documents.
The victim, 30-year-old Levon Quinn, succumbed to his injuries after being transported to an area hospital.
Investigation into the incident revealed Ponder and Quinn got into an argument inside a business near West 39th and Broadway that continued when the two men left the store.
Surveillance footage from across the business captured the altercation.
Police said the video showed Quinn entered the business at 3:55 p.m. and Ponder entered one minute after Quinn.
The two left the business at 3:58 p.m. and were seen arguing.
When Quinn walked away, heading in the direction of his vehicle, the video showed Ponder reach into a pant pocket and pull out a gun. He shot Quinn in the back, according to court documents.
Detectives recovered one shell casing in the road near the entrance of the north parking lot of the business, as well as a small blood trail just north of the shell casing.
After the shot was fired, surveillance footage showed Quinn running away, entering his vehicle and driving off. Ponder left shortly after in a white Dodge Charger.
Police noted a search of the Charger's license plate showed the vehicle was registered to Ponder.
Additionally, court documents stated the footage showed Ponder wearing a blue polo shirt with “Center School District” and “Officer Ponder” embroidered on the right chest.
“Responding officers immediately recognized Ponder’s clothing as that issued to Center School District security officers,” court documents stated.
Multiple district employees told KSHB 41 Ponder was employed as a security guard in the Center School District for the last two years.
Tuesday afternoon, a district spokesperson shared a statement with KSHB 41 confirming Ponder was an employee but will "no longer be reporting for work in the district."
"We have been informed of an incident that occurred over the holiday weekend off district property. To our knowledge, the incident did not involve any Center School District students. The individual identified in the reports is a district employee who will no longer be reporting for work in the district.
As always, the safety and well-being of our students, staff and community remain our top priority. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as appropriate."
Ponder was taken into custody after a felony car check shortly after 6 p.m. Friday.
Investigators said he kept repeating, “It is what it is,” and “I don’t want to say anything wrong, I don’t want to say anything right,” during his interview with detectives.
He also told detectives Quinn was not a “perfect, innocent man” and that Quinn did some things “he should not have said or done” before the shooting.
Ponder is being held in the Jackson County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond.
He made his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.
KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
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