Man charged with voluntary manslaughter in shooting outside Kansas City apartments

Jackson County prosecutors on Tuesday announced charges against a 22-year-old man with two felonies stemming from a daytime fatal shooting in the parking lot of an apartment complex in southeast Kansas City’s Hillcrest neighborhood.

Mikell R. Grigsby, of Kansas City, was charged with voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the killing of 23-year-old Donnell James. He was being held in the Jackson County jail Tuesday on a $100,000 cash bond.

Kansas City police officers responded to a reported shooting May 20 in the 8600 block of Drury Avenue. Area residents heard the gunfire and went outside to assist a man who had been shot there. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to court documents, crime scene investigators. found eight spent rifle casings. The victim appeared to have been shot from behind, and a firearm was found near his body.

Witnesses told homicide detectives Grigsby and James were observing a fight between two women who were in an ongoing feud. At some point during the fight, two participants were armed with butcher knives, according to court documents, and James was seen panning his firearm back and forth while the fight was happening.

Bystanders recorded videos in which Grigsby is allegedly overheard threatening to fire his gun if James does not drop his. Grigsby is accused of firing his AR-style pistol at James after James appeared to lower his handgun.

Charging documents say Grigsby voluntarily responded to KCPD Headquarters with an attorney on Friday and declined to provide a statement to detectives. Online court records did not list an attorney for Grigsby as of Tuesday.

Under Missouri law, Grigsby faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of voluntary manslaughter. Armed criminal action also carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.