KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cecelia Wilson filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Jackson County Court against Raytown Police Ofc. Dallas Burnette in the November 2024 shooting death of her son in a convenience store parking lot.
The shooting outside the QuikTrip store at 8733 East 63rd St. in Raytown killed Kenneth Williams, 32, of Grandview.
According to the lawsuit, Raytown police went to the store shortly after 12:15 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2024, after a store security guard called dispatchers about an incident inside the store involving Williams.
Williams arrived at the store around midnight, parked his van outside the store and went inside, according to the lawsuit.
He went inside the store and asked for a lighter. The store clerk told Williams he would have to buy a lighter, and he told the clerk he didn't have enough money to pay for a lighter, per the lawsuit.
The lawsuit states Williams and the store security guard talked about the lighter, and Williams told the guard he had a bomb in his vehicle.
The guard told Williams to leave the store. He backed out but came back into the store, the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit says the guard sprayed mace in Williams' face, and he left the store.
Raytown officers, including Burnette, arrived at the store a short time later.
One officer parked behind Williams' van, pulled his duty weapon, and walked around the parked van to make sure no one was inside, according to the lawsuit.
No one was found in the van.
Officers spoke to the store employee and the security guard, ordered the gas pumps turned off, and told customers to leave the store and the parking lot.
The lawsuit says the officers waited inside and outside the store, and Williams came back to the parking lot. The lawsuit states several officers ran toward Williams after he used a key fob to unlock the van's doors.
The lawsuit claims Burnette shot Williams several times before he opened the driver's door to the van.
"We believe the shooting was not justified since no one was in imminent danger, which is evidenced by the other officer's decision not to fire,” attorney John Picerno, who is representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement to KSHB 41 News.
A medical examiner's report stated Williams was hit by bullets up to seven times, including his back, chest, buttocks, right upper arm, left elbow and right forearm.
"Decedent did not cause Defendant to reasonably believe that shooting Decedent was necessary to protect himself or others against death, serious injury, or a forcible felony," the lawsuit states.
A KSHB 41 News story published after the deadly incident stated the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department's Bomb and Arson Unit was called to the scene. They found "explosive material" in the van.
The Raytown Police Department provided the following statement on the lawsuit.
"We are aware of the litigation, and are unable to provide any additional information at this time," the department said. "We remain committed to transparency and will share updates if and when it becomes appropriate to do so."
After the initial filing, Picerno told KSHB 41 the petition was amended to include another plaintiff. Picerno said the additional plaintiff, Rynesha Simpson, is the mother of Kenneth Williams' child.
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