5 things to know about Independence shooting that killed police officer, civil worker
Larry Dean Acree of Independence was charged Friday with multiple felony counts, including two charges of first-degree murder, in a Thursday shooting that killed two in northeastern Independence.
Four people were shot Thursday during an eviction at Acree’s former home. A police officer and a civil process server were killed.
Here is the latest on the shooting.
What happened?
On Thursday just after 1 p.m., shots rang out while an unknown number of court officers were attempting to carry out an eviction at Acree’s former home in northeastern Independence, according to Cpl. Justin Ewing, a spokesman with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which is investigating.
According to court documents, after knocking and announcing their presence, officers used a drill to remove locks from the door. Allegedly, Acree began shooting, and Mack fell to the floor in the entrance to the house.
Officers responded to retrieve Mack, which was allegedly when Allen was shot, court documents said.
The Kansas City Police Department set up a tactical response for an armed, barricaded suspect, according to Capt. Jake Becchina, a department spokesperson.
Though Acree was arrested in the afternoon, the scene remained active until response remained active until around 7:30 p.m.
Who is the suspect?
Larry Dean Acree was taken into custody Thursday with minor injuries.
The 69-year-old Independence resident was charged on Friday with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree assault for wounding a police officer, according to charging documents.
Acree was the only person found in the house.
Where did it occur?
The shooting happened on the front porch of a private residence in the 1100 block of Elsea Smith Road, near Bundschu Road, in northeastern Independence. The suspect had recently lost the property over unpaid taxes.
Who was shot?
Independence police officer Cody Allen and Jackson County Circuit Court civil process server Drexel Mack were killed.
A father of two, Allen had worked in the private sector before returning to the police force. Mack had worked with the court for 12 years.
Two other Independence police officers were injured as well and are expected to fully recover, according to Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman. One underwent surgery and the other sustained minor injuries.
When was the most recent officer-involved shooting in Independence?
On Feb. 22, Independence police officers shot and killed 32-year-old Sief Bani-Khalid of Independence while responding to reports of gunfire at the 700 block of North Frandsen Road.
This is a developing story. Check The Star for up-to-date information
