On March 28, 2016, 25-year-old Demar D. Swift was fatally shot in Kansas City, Missouri. The incident occurred in the afternoon within the 1800 block of Topping Avenue. Swift had arranged to meet with three individuals at a residence in that area for the purpose of a narcotics transaction involving marijuana. When the men arrived, the exchange escalated into violence as the visitors attempted to rob Swift of the drugs.
During the confrontation inside the home, the assailants attacked
Swift and seized a jar of marijuana. The struggle spilled outside into the yard, where Swift reportedly chased the men and wrestled with one of them in an attempt to retrieve his property. Amidst the physical altercation, one of the suspects drew a firearm and shot Swift. Police arrived to find him unresponsive in the grass, and he died a short time later from his injuries. Witnesses reported seeing a man fleeing the scene with braided hair, which helped lead investigators to the suspects.
Law enforcement officers subsequently arrested three individuals in connection with the homicide. Martinez C. Lewis, who was 20 years old at the time, was identified by authorities as the alleged shooter and was charged with second-degree murder, attempted first-degree robbery, and armed criminal action. A second suspect, 20-year-old Demarcus T. Rivers, faced identical charges for his role in the deadly robbery. Both men were scheduled for trial in October 2017. The third suspect, Lyrick T. Bryson, who was 17 at the time of the offense, pleaded guilty in May 2017 to charges of robbery and armed criminal action. Bryson was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in the crime.
