SHOOTING OCCURRED JUST OUTSIDE STORE
An employee of the Rally House store in the Shops at Boardwalk center in Platte County was shot in the leg during an apparent shoplifting incident.
The shooting occurred just outside the store, which is located at 8700 N. Boardwalk Ave., Kansas City in Platte County, near the intersection of N. Ambassador Drive and N. Boardwalk Ave., not far from the Hwy. 152 and I-29 interchange.
Travis A. Miller, 30, of Kansas City, has been charged with first degree robbery and armed criminal action. He is in custody in the Platte County Jail, currently being held without bond.
The incident occurred about 12:30 p.m. last Wednesday, Nov. 22.
Witnesses said they saw the suspect coming out of the store moving quickly with an arm full of sports jerseys, before they heard the sound of a gunshot. The suspect got into a car and fled the scene.
Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the area on a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they located one victim suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds, Alayna Gonzalez, a public information officer for the KCPD told The Landmark.
“Additional responding officers located a vehicle and subjects of interest near Hwy. 152 and Indiana Ave. They were taken into custody for further investigation,” Gonzalez says.
Paramedics treated the shooting victim and he was transported from the scene for further medical treatment.
Crime scene tape surrounded a perimeter near the store while investigators gathered evidence for a little more than an hour. Rally House opened back up to the public as soon as police removed the crime scene tape.
According to court papers, the employee told police he followed the suspect “and grabbed some of the clothing to recover some of the items.” That’s when the suspect turned around and fired a single shot that struck the employee’s left leg, court documents allege. The gunshot caused the employee’s femur bone to break and he required immediate surgery.
Court documents allege Miller “forcibly stole sports merchandise” and “in the course thereof was armed with a deadly weapon.”
According to court documents, items stolen included about $300 worth of merchandise, including a KC Royals Mondesi jersey, a KC Chiefs stocking hat, KC Chiefs hoodie, KC Royals blue hoodie, and KC Royals blue/cream wearing apparel.
Platte County Circuit Court records viewed by The Landmark indicate in 2019 Miller pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and was sentenced to five years in state prison.