On a day that began with a Snapchat message about a marijuana deal, 19-year-old Abdu Wana, a male from Kansas City, Kansas, would lose his life in a fatal shooting. The events of March 2, 2020, unfolded near an apartment complex in the 1000 block of Forest Court, culminating in a violent encounter that left two young men dead. The incident was sparked by a drug transaction arranged over the social media app, a meeting that ultimately proved to be a tragic miscalculation for all involved.
The plan, as pieced together by authorities, began when Julian Frank, also 19, contacted Andrew Manakul to buy marijuana. Manakul, in turn, involved his friend, 20-year-old Ethan Ridings, to help facilitate the sale. The two drove to the agreed-upon location where Frank got into the backseat of their car. It was then that Wana approached the vehicle, brandishing a gun in what prosecutors believe was an attempted robbery. According to the defense attorney for Ridings, Frank and Wana had perceived the sellers as "weak and vulnerable" and had acquired an AK-47 just days prior with the intention of robbing them.
The situation escalated quickly. Faced with the firearm, Ridings drew his own handgun and shot Wana. A struggle then reportedly ensued between Ridings and Frank, which ended with Ridings fatally shooting Frank as well. In the aftermath, Manakul and Ridings fled the scene. However, the following day, Manakul turned himself in to the Overland Park police.
The investigation led to the arrests of both Manakul and Ridings. Manakul pleaded guilty to two felony counts of voluntary manslaughter and, in a decision that drew criticism from the victims' families, was sentenced to probation in January 2021. Ethan Ridings faced more severe consequences. Originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, he pleaded down to two counts of second-degree murder. In March 2021, a Wyandotte County judge sentenced Ridings to more than 13 years in prison for his role in the deaths of Abdu Wana and Julian Frank.
