On the evening of August 2, 2019, the vibrant First Friday art walk in the Crossroads District of Kansas City, Missouri, became the setting for a sudden and senseless tragedy. Erin Langhofer, a 25-year-old female resident of Overland Park, Kansas, was attending the popular monthly event with her boyfriend and a group of friends. Known for her compassionate nature, she worked as a therapist and counselor for the Rose Brooks Center, where she advocated for survivors of domestic violence.
As thousands of people milled about the district enjoying the food trucks and festivities near 18th and Main streets, the atmosphere shifted drastically around 10:00 p.m. when a disturbance broke out nearby.
A physical altercation had erupted between groups of young men who were strangers to the counselor and her companions. The fight quickly escalated when one of the individuals pulled out a handgun. As the conflict intensified, the gunman indiscriminately fired nine shots into the crowded street, sending bystanders scattering in panic. While the shooter’s intended target fled the scene unharmed, a stray bullet struck the innocent bystander in the head as she stood near a cluster of food trucks. Emergency responders arrived quickly, transporting her to a local hospital, but she ultimately succumbed to her injuries, leaving her family and community devastated.
Law enforcement officers who were already in the area for the event responded immediately to the sound of gunfire. They spotted three males fleeing the scene and engaged in a foot pursuit. During the chase, one of the suspects, identified as 18-year-old Deon’te Copkney, obeyed commands to stop. He dropped a 9mm handgun and lay on the ground, surrendering to police. Ballistic analysis later confirmed that the shell casings recovered from the shooting scene matched the weapon Copkney had discarded. Under questioning, he confessed to detectives that he had fired the weapon into the crowd after being knocked down during the fight, aiming at the individual who had struck him.
In the aftermath of the shooting, prosecutors charged Copkney with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action. The case concluded nearly two years later without a trial. In May 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charges, accepting responsibility for the actions that ended the young woman’s life. On July 20, 2021, a Jackson County judge handed down a sentence of 18 years in prison for the murder charge and three years for the armed criminal action charge, with the terms ordered to run concurrently. During the emotional sentencing hearing, the victim's family expressed the profound loss of a daughter who had dedicated her professional life to helping others heal.
