Statement on June 14 officer-involved shootings

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
KCPD Media Unit
816-234-5170

Two unfortunate events took place on June 14 that resulted in Kansas City Missouri Police officers using deadly force. These were outcomes no one wanted and were a tragedy for all involved. Police have conducted the initial investigation into those incidents. We appreciate the public’s patience during this process. Our community deserves to know what happens whenever police use lethal force, but detectives also need time to gather evidence and statements to conduct a thorough investigation.

INCIDENT 1
At about 1:30 p.m. on June 14, officers already were in the area of N.E. 38^th and Jackson streets doing proactive work to combat criminal and drug activity in the neighborhood. They saw a woman walking down the street with a sword in the direction of a day care center. The officers tried to talk to her, but she ran. She then attempted to enter several homes unlawfully. She was able to break into one house, and the home’s alarm system went off. She locked the door behind her. Police later determined the people who lived in the house were not home. Because she was armed and would not come out, police called an Operation 100, which is standard procedure in such a situation. An Operation 100 brings in extra resources to the scene, including tactical officers, negotiators and others in an attempt to bring the incident to a safe conclusion. The nearby daycare went on lock-down.

After the woman had been in the house for about an hour and 20 minutes, she came out and fled into a nearby detached garage, still holding the sword. While she was fleeing, officers used several less-than-lethal options to disarm her and get her into custody. Although she was struck numerous times, they were ineffective, which is very unusual. Officers surrounded the structure to keep her from escaping into the neighborhood. Police used several tactics to get her to surrender, including negotiators, pepper spray and additional beanbag-type rounds. Negotiators tried reaching out to her by phone and through a public address system, but she would not make contact with them. At about 4 p.m., and after being repeatedly instructed to disarm, she exited the detached garage and ran toward officers with the sword, resulting in the officers firing fatal shots at her.

An ambulance had been staged nearby, and paramedics responded immediately. They pronounced her dead at the scene. Police recovered the 27-inch steel sword. No one other than the suspect was injured. She has been identified as Ashley Fulkerson, a white female born 8/28/89.

INCIDENT 2
Shortly before 5 p.m. on June 14, officers responded to a disturbance and sound of shots at Barney Allis Plaza at 12^th and Wyandotte. The caller reported two men fighting with a gun, possibly over a golf cart. Preliminary investigation showed that before the call, one of the men, Timothy D. Mosley, had been ejected from the Marriott Hotel for causing a disturbance. He then went out onto Barney Allis Plaza and used a handgun to rob a uniformed security officer of his personal property and a golf cart. The security officer was able to escape. Police arrived as Mosley and another man, Robert A. White, were heavily engaged in a physical confrontation. Preliminary investigation shows the two had physically fought and separated several times over several minutes. Mosley possessed a gun during their altercations. In between their fights, Mosley walked around Barney Allis Plaza holding the gun in the air and yelling. In spite of their violent interactions, White remained at a nearby picnic table on scene. Police are still trying to determine why they were fighting, why White remained on scene, and whether the two were acquainted previously. Shortly after police arrived, Mosley re-engaged White. As they were struggling and physically intertwined, Mosley pointed the gun at officers. Officers fired, striking both men. The officers rendered first aid, but both men were pronounced deceased. A semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the scene, as well as a non-police spent shell casing matching the caliber of the recovered pistol. Robert A. White is a white male born 1/22/1984, and Timothy D. Mosley is a black male born 1/10/1985.

Police continue to collect witness statements and evidence. Anyone who saw any of these incidents – including the events leading up to them – is encouraged to contact the Homicide Unit at 816-234-5148. Voicemails left at this number are checked frequently.

The incidents will undergo independent review by the respective county prosecutors, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.