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Man sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years for shooting his ex-girlfriend

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A man who shot his ex-girlfriend, leaving her paralyzed, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison plus 20 years.

A Clay County jury found Lonnell James guilty of first degree assault, armed criminal action and burglary, according to a news release from the Clay County Prosecutor's office.

“This life sentence ensures that this defendant, who committed senseless acts of violence in Clay County, will never be able to do it again," Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thomas stated in the news release.

The shooting occurred in 2020 while the victim was sitting on her bed with a child she had with James.

Her father told the court at Thursday's sentencing hearing that his daughter still has bullets in her body and she will never walk again, the news release states.

If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.