On the morning of April 10, 2018, the quiet of a suburban Overland Park, Kansas neighborhood was shattered by a domestic disturbance that ended in tragedy. Inside a home in the 8300 block of Switzer Street, David Slater, a 52-year-old male, was fatally shot. When police arrived around 10:20 a.m., they found Slater deceased at the scene. A 6-year-old girl was also discovered with a gunshot wound to her leg; she was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered
life-threatening.
The incident stemmed from a dispute between Slater and his daughter's boyfriend. The man, identified as 21-year-old Elijah Lewis King of Olathe, was taken into custody at the home without incident and began cooperating with investigators. The young girl who was injured in the shooting was reportedly King's daughter. Authorities believe she may have been struck by a ricocheting bullet rather than being intentionally targeted.
Following the shooting, the family of David Slater expressed their shock and grief as they sought to understand the violent events that had transpired. Neighbors in the typically peaceful area, known for its families and children playing outside, were also stunned by the news. Slater had been a longtime employee at Cosentino's Price Chopper, where he had worked for 25 years.
Elijah Lewis King was arrested and booked into the Johnson County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. He was later formally charged with intentional second-degree murder, as well as aggravated battery and aggravated child endangerment in connection with the shooting. His bond was set at $250,000. The senseless act of violence left a family devastated and a community searching for answers.
