On the evening of May 5, 2021, a dispute over loud music at a QuikTrip convenience store in Wichita, Kansas, tragically escalated, leading to the death of 39-year-old Will Robinson, a Black / African American male. Robinson, a former Wichita police officer, was working as a security guard at the downtown location on Broadway and Murdock when he asked a customer, Laroy Monzell West, to either lower his music or leave the premises.
This seemingly routine request set in motion a fatal chain of events that would end a life and forever alter the lives of two families.
After being escorted out of the store, West began to taunt Robinson, reportedly calling him a coward in an attempt to lure him across the street. An altercation ensued in a nearby alley, culminating in West shooting Robinson in the face. Prosecutors later argued that West intentionally aimed for his head because he knew Robinson was wearing a bulletproof vest. Will Robinson, a husband and father of two, was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries two days later on May 7, 2021. He was remembered as a dedicated family man and a community-oriented individual known for his efforts to help the homeless.
Following the shooting, an investigation was launched, and Laroy Monzell West was identified as the suspect and subsequently arrested. West, who had a prior criminal record, claimed he acted in self-defense, a claim that was ultimately rejected by the justice system. In October 2023, a Sedgwick County jury found West guilty of first-degree premeditated murder. One witness testified that Robinson had his hands up before he was shot. In January 2024, Laroy Monzell West was sentenced to a minimum of 51.5 years in prison for the murder of Will Robinson. The judge, during sentencing, described the act as a "cold-blooded act of shooting Mr. Robinson in the face and killing him simply out of selfish rage."
