For Immediate Release
July 11, 2018
Two security guards at Yum Yum Bar and Grill on 24th Street in Kansas City are charged in the June 29, 2018, fatal shooting of Kevin Thomas, dob: 1/19/1973, and a third guard is charged with tampering with evidence, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.
Christopher L. Jones, dob: 5/1/1981, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Armed Criminal Action and Tampering with Physical Evidence, while Markell Pinkins, dob:9/21/1995, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action.* Leon Doniphan, dob: 2/24/1985, faces one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence.*
According to court records, Kanss City police were called to the 5300 block of E. 24th Street on June 29, 2018, on a reported shooting. The location was just east of the Yum Yum Bar & Grill. The victim was Kevin Thomas, dob: 1/19/1973, who died later at a hospital. Spent shells were recovered from the street by the victim's vehicle. It was stopped in the middle of the road and the victim was shot while inside the vehicle, when it was located off the property of the bar. The Medical Examiner ruled the death resulted from the gunshot wounds. Security guards told police they responded to a vehicular accident. When the driver didn't respond to their commands, Jones later stated to police that he and Pinkins fired shots at the victim. He first told police he was not armed and didn't shoot the victim. Jones shot through the passenger side of the windshield, while Pinkins fired through the driver's window. Jones noted to police that he was scared to tell them what happened at first because he is not licensed to carry a firearm in a security capacity in Missouri. Jones also told police that after the shooting he gave his weapon to Doniphan to hide. Doniphan didn't mention the weapon to police at the scene. A witness told police the guards, who worked for a private security firm, came across the street to the victim's vehicle with their guns drawn. He heard the guards give the driver directions to turn off the car. He didn't observe that the victim had a weapon. The car moved about a foot and the guards fired at the victim.
Prosecutors requested a bond of $225,000 for Jones, $200,000 for Pinkins and $5,000 for Doniphan.
For more information, contact:
Michael Mansur
Director of Communication
Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office
Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor
Work : (816) 881-3812
Mobile: (816) 674-3954
mmansur@jacksongov.org
http://jacksoncountyprosecutor.com
*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.