In the early morning hours of April 23, 2017, a dispute in Kansas City, Missouri, turned fatal, claiming the life of 23-year-old Austin Wayne Cupp. Police were dispatched to the 3900 block of Denver Avenue around 3:25 a.m. following reports of a disturbance involving a weapon and the sound of gunshots. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Cupp in the yard, suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he was later pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of MarKivius Woods, a 23-year-old Kansas City man. According to court records, the incident began when Woods arrived at a residence on Denver Avenue to see his son. An argument ensued with the child's mother, who asked him to leave. The altercation escalated as several other people, including Cupp, arrived at the home. When one of the newcomers asked the woman if she was alright, she confirmed she was but reiterated her request for Woods to depart.
The confrontation then moved outside, where a witness reported hearing Woods say, 'This doesn't concern you. Get off the property,' followed by the sound of gunfire. In his statement to investigators, Woods claimed that he had an altercation with Cupp and that Cupp had lunged at him. Woods stated that he responded by pulling a long gun from a bag and firing what he described as a 'warning shot.' He alleged that Cupp lunged at him two more times, prompting him to fire again before fleeing the scene.
Investigators recovered four spent casings at the scene and later found an AK-47 rifle with a loaded magazine at a different location in south Kansas City. Following the investigation, the Jackson County prosecutor's office charged MarKivius Woods with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Austin Cupp.
