In the early morning hours of a Sunday in May 2021, a distressing 911 call was made by 17-year-old Lantz Stephenson, Jr. from Grandview, Missouri. He reported that he was at Meadowmere Park, armed with a handgun, feeling suicidal, and wished to confront police officers. This call set in motion a tragic series of events that would end with the young man's death.
When officers from the Grandview Police Department arrived at the park, they saw Lantz from a distance.
As the officers positioned themselves, Stephenson began to aggressively approach them, holding what appeared to be a handgun. Two of the officers, who had received crisis intervention training, discharged their firearms, striking the teenager. Lantz was transported to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. No officers were injured during the incident.
The investigation that followed, conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, brought a critical detail to light: the weapon Lantz Stephenson was carrying was not a firearm, but a Glock 19 BB gun. This BB gun was a realistic replica and lacked the orange tip that typically designates a toy or air gun. The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office reviewed the case to determine if the officers' use of force was justified. After a thorough investigation, the prosecutor's office announced in January 2022 that no criminal charges would be filed against the two officers involved in the fatal shooting.
