In the summer of 2018, a chaotic and tragic series of events unfolded in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, culminating in the death of 33-year-old Timothy D. Mosley. A Black man, Mosley's life came to an end on the afternoon of June 14th in Barney Allis Plaza after a confrontation with police. The incident also resulted in the death of another man, 34-year-old Robert A. White, who was described by prosecutors as an innocent bystander.
The events leading to the fatal shooting began when Mosley was reportedly causing a disturbance at a nearby Marriott Hotel. He was said to have been acting erratically and speaking about people with guns. After being asked to leave the hotel, Mosley allegedly carjacked a golf cart from a security guard at gunpoint. He then forced the guard to drive him to where White was sitting, and proceeded to attack him. The security guard managed to escape and alert the authorities.
When three Kansas City police officers arrived at Barney Allis Plaza, they encountered a struggle between Mosley and White. According to police accounts and the subsequent investigation, Mosley was armed with a handgun. As the officers approached, they reported that Mosley pointed the weapon in their direction. In response, two of the three officers opened fire. Both Mosley and White were struck by the gunfire and died at the scene. It was later alleged in a lawsuit that Mosley had been using White as a 'human shield.'.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office conducted an investigation and ultimately declined to file criminal charges against the officers involved. The prosecutor's office concluded that the officers were 'compelled' to shoot Mosley as he posed an imminent threat. White's death, while tragic, was not deemed to be the legal responsibility of the officers. The family of Robert White later filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Kansas City Police Department, which was settled for $1.5 million. The officers who fired their weapons were not publicly identified.
