IN FATAL SHOOTING OUTSIDE OF WALMART
A former Kansas City, Mo. Police Department officer has been convicted of killing a 71-year old man in the Walmart parking lot located on N. Boardwalk Avenue, Kansas City in Platte County.
A Platte County jury on Friday, June 26 found 49-year old Taquiza Johnson guilty of second degree murder and armed criminal action for the murder of Ronald Barnett that occurred on Aug. 21, 2024 at approximately 4:15 pm in the middle of the parking lot.
“This defendant, a previously sworn KCPD officer, used his former duty weapon to kill Mr. Barnett in a driving lane at Walmart after an argument. This brazen killing in broad daylight is simply unbelievable. Who can possibly imagine something like this would happen,” said Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd.
During the five-day trial, prosecutors proved that Johnson, who served with KCPD for approximately 10 years from 2004-2014, got into an argument with the victim when Johnson believed the victim got too close to him with his car in the crosswalk as Johnson was leaving Walmart. The victim got out of his car and the parties exchanged words. The defendant, who testified in his own defense, said the victim threatened his life and used racial epithets. The verbal altercation finished and the victim drove away and the defendant also went to his car.
Video surveillance from Walmart then showed the victim parking his vehicle in a handicapped parking spot, and about a minute later the defendant’s car parked directly behind the victim’s SUV. The defendant got out of his car with a gun hidden behind his back. There was another confrontation in the driving lane between the two and the defendant shot the victim one time in the center of the
abdomen. The victim fell to the ground and the defendant got back in his vehicle and drove away. Paramedics arrived and the victim was taken to North Kansas City Hospital where he died a short time later.
“The defendant argued that he was only defending himself because of the earlier threats made to his life by the victim, but the defendant admitted on the witness stand during cross-examination that the victim was not armed and he did not see a weapon of any kind in the victim’s hand,” said Zahnd. “Judge Myles Perry, the circuit judge who presided over the trial, properly refused to give the defendant an instruction on self-defense based upon the evidence presented at trial,” Zahnd added.
“The instruction on self-defense in Missouri is clear. Verbal threats are not enough. Name-calling is not enough. A person claiming self-defense must establish that the perceived aggressor possessed, exhibited, or threatened to use a weapon readily capable of lethal force. Deadly force is not justified in response to fear of being grabbed or even punched. The old axiom is true – you cannot bring a gun to a fistfight,” said Zahnd.
After hearing all the evidence, the jury made recommendations that the defendant be sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in the second degree and 15 years for armed criminal action. By law, the armed criminal action charge must run consecutive to the murder in the second degree charge.
Johnson will be sentenced on Sept. 14.
The case was investigated by the Kansas City Police Department. The case was tried by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Findley and First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mark L. Gibson.
