HE’S A SUSPECT IN KCK SHOOTING THAT INJURED THREE
Set free in error.
Authorities are searching for a man who allegedly was involved in a shooting that injured three Kansas City, Kan. police officers after the suspect was inadvertently released from custody by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department.
The suspect, Marquice Mitchell-Locke, 21, was mistakenly released from the Platte County Jail on Thursday evening, April 20.
He remains on the loose. On Thursday, April 27, the US Marshals Service announced it is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the capture of Mitchell-Locke, who is wanted in connection with the April 5 shooting and injuring of three Kansas City, Kansas police officers.
Locke stands 6 feet 1 inches tall and weighs about 200 pounds. His hair is black and his eyes are brown. He has a scar on his right arm.
Anyone with information on Locke’s location should call the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED2 or use the USMS Tips App. All calls are kept confidential.
Platte County had received Locke to its jail from Jackson County authorities at about 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Mitchell-Locke had been taken to a hospital in Jackson County after allegedly taking part in an April 5 shootout with police in Wyandotte County, Kan.
His presence in Jackson County for the medical treatment placed him in Missouri custody, meaning he would need to be extradited to go to Kansas City, Kan. But he also had misdemeanor charges in Platte County, so Jackson County first sent him to Platte County.
Facing only misdemeanor charges in Platte, he was mistakenly allowed to bond out and was released from the Platte County Jail by Platte County authorities at about 8:15 that evening.
At the time of his release by Platte County, Mitchell-Locke faced several charges in KCK including three counts of attempted capital murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated endangering of a child, and distribution of fentanyl.
Major Erik Holland of the Platte County Sheriff’ s Department said Locke should have been held pending extradition to Kansas City, Kan. on the felony warrants.
Locke’s misdemeanor charges in Platte County include such things as domestic assault, stealing and traffic offenses.
Holland said jail staff became aware of the mistake Friday morning, April 21 during a review at a shift change. Holland said the review process of overnight activity is routinely part of a shift change.
In Kansas, Mitchell-Locke is charged along with two other suspects in a high-profile shooting that occurred on April 5. Three Kansas City, Kan. police officers were injured in that shooting.
Holland said a review of the inadvertent release of the suspect is underway.
“I don’t want to make any assumptions or guess on how that error occurred but he should not have been released,” Holland said the day after it happened. “We are looking into it. The processes to prevent that kind of thing were in place prior to this and we’re going to do a thorough review to see how that occurred and ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Court records show Mitchell-Locke with previous addresses in Riverside and Parkville.
KCTV-5 reported that Kansas City, Kan. Chief of Police Karl Oakman called the release of Mitchell-Locke “unfortunate” but said the priority now is “locating Mitchell-Locke and getting him back in custody.”
The KCK police chief described Mitchell-Locke as “a dangerous individual who needs to be taken off the streets” and told KCTV-5 that “if anyone encounters him they should assume that he is armed and dangerous and immediately call 911.”
The three KCK police officers who were shot in the incident earlier this month have been released from the hospital.
Holland said the US Marshals Service has been called in to help locate the suspect.
“Anyone with information about Mr. Locke’s whereabouts is asked to contact the United States Marshals Service, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS,” Holland said.
Jackson County authorities said the normal process for someone in their custody who has charges in Kansas is to have all charges in Missouri taken care of prior to transferring them, thus the move of Mitchell-Locke to Platte County.
Holland said Platte County authorities “know who picked him up” after Mitchell-Locke was released from the Platte County Jail on Thursday night. The suspect was not walking around Platte City after being released, Holland said. “He was picked up by individuals.”
THE INCIDENT IN KCK
Mitchell-Locke and two others were charged in an April 5 shooting in Kansas City, Kan. with a variety of offenses, including attempted capital murder; three counts of aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer; three counts of criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied building or vehicle; three counts of aggravated endangering of a child; aggravated assault of law enforcement officer; distribution or possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Kansas bonds for the three suspects were set at $250,000 each.
The shooting took place around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5 south of Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kan. Police officers there were following up on an investigation that involved drug dealers accused of selling large amounts of fentanyl. Officers were undercover and were again trying to purchase fentanyl pills as part of that follow-up, but the deal went sideways.
KCTV-5 reported that tactical officers were in the area of 18th and Wood when they tried to stop a vehicle that had the suspects from the investigation inside. Once the vehicle stopped and officers tried conducting an arrest, gunfire erupted from the suspect vehicle and Kansas City, Kan. police officers exchanged gunfire with the suspects.
According to police, the three adult male suspects suffered non-life-threatening injuries.