On October 5, 2016, a residence in the 800 block of Northeast Magellan Avenue in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, became the scene of a fatal shooting involving two siblings. Aaron Anthony Elmore, a 28-year-old African American male, was in the bathroom of the home around 9:40 a.m., brushing his teeth alongside his 2-year-old son. During this morning routine, he was struck in the back of the head by a single gunshot.
His mother, who was in another room at the time, reported hearing the shot and subsequently seeing her young grandson running from the bathroom screaming before discovering her son slumped over.
Authorities identified the shooter as the victim’s younger brother, Lawrence E. Barr, who was 24 years old at the time of the incident. According to court documents, Barr admitted to detectives that he was in the house and had been handling a firearm. He claimed that he was 'playing' with the gun and was unaware that there was a live round in the chamber when it discharged, striking his brother. Following the shooting, Barr reportedly told his mother it was an accident before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. He later stated that he threw the weapon out of his car window while driving but eventually returned to the residence, where he was taken into custody.
Prosecutors in Jackson County charged Lawrence Barr with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in connection with Aaron Elmore's death. The probable cause statement highlighted the reckless nature of the act, noting that the suspect failed to render aid to his dying brother immediately after the weapon fired. Barr was held on a $100,000 bond as the legal proceedings commenced, facing the consequences of what he described to investigators as an unintentional tragedy.
