On a Friday evening in Kansas City, Missouri, what began as a drive ended in a fatal encounter for 14-year-old Aaron Amparan. The young man was a passenger in a Kia Sportage on November 3, 2023, when an apparent road rage incident escalated with tragic consequences.
The series of events unfolded around 6 p.m. in the 6000 block of East 13th Street. Surveillance footage from the area showed a black Silverado, driven by a man later identified as Keith D.
Adkins, stopping abruptly in front of the Kia. After the Kia swerved to avoid a collision, Adkins was seen leaning out of his window, shouting an expletive, and firing two shots at the other vehicle. The gunshots struck Aaron, and the Kia subsequently crashed into a utility pole. When police arrived at the scene, they found Aaron in the street near the wrecked vehicle. He was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. A second victim from the Kia was found behind a nearby residence and survived.
Investigators quickly identified the suspect vehicle as a stolen black Silverado. The following day, Adkins and a female passenger were spotted in a different stolen vehicle, a blue Hyundai Santa Fe. On November 5th, officers located the Hyundai near the scene of the crime and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Adkins fled, leading police on a high-speed chase through the east side of Kansas City, with speeds reaching nearly 100 miles per hour. The pursuit continued into Independence, where the Hyundai's tires failed. Adkins then attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by officers behind a business.
Keith D. Adkins, a 32-year-old from Grandview, was charged with a litany of felonies, including second-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and resisting arrest. He also faces charges of tampering with a motor vehicle and multiple counts of armed criminal action. Prosecutors requested a $500,000 bond, and Adkins was taken into custody at the Jackson County Detention Center.
