KANSAS CITY, MO – A 20-year-old man is facing criminal charges after police say a road rage incident in Kansas City from late September turned deadly after a confrontation between the suspect and a 57-year-old man led to the suspect fatally shooting the elder driver.
After nearly a month long investigation, Kansas City Police arrested Laken Logan on October 22nd on a charge of second-degree murder in connection to a road rage incident from September 23rd where the suspect later allegedly admitted to authorities that he fatally shot a man identified as Cleveland Wright.
According to a probable cause statement from the Kansas City Police Department, Logan and a friend of his were on a work break and decided to pick up some food on the evening of September 23rd, with the two getting into Logan’s vehicle and making their way to a local Zaxby’s.
As the two were headed down Chouteau Trafficway, Logan claimed a vehicle, driven by Wright, had passed his vehicle “very closely” on the passenger side. This incident reportedly led to a heated exchange between Logan and Wright at a nearby red light, with the suspect allegedly telling Wright, “Watch how you’re driving, boy.”
Logan told police that after he made the comments to the other driver, Wright allegedly brandished a handgun at the two occupants. When police interviewed Logan’s co-worker inside of the vehicle during the incident, he allegedly told authorities he saw Wright raise his arm but he “could not see if there was anything in his hand.”
Following the heated exchange at the red light alongside the alleged brandishing of the firearm, Logan allegedly admitted to authorities that he “stepped on his brakes, grabbed his gun, and fired multiple shots towards the back windshield area of the other car.” The suspect allegedly told police that at first, he was aiming for the driver of the vehicle but would later tell authorities he wasn’t sure what he was aiming at.
When detectives asked about the whereabouts of the firearm used during the incident, Logan allegedly gave detectives multiple conflicting statements ranging from him ditching the firearm by throwing it into a river to selling the firearm to a friend of his.
Wright reportedly suffered a gunshot wound to the head during the incident near Chouteau Trafficway and Gardner Avenue, with his wife reportedly in the passenger seat all the while. Authorities say Wright’s vehicle crashed into a median following the shooting, with a nearby witness rendering aid to Wright before EMS arrived on the scene. However, despite lifesaving efforts, Wright was declared deceased shortly after the incident.
Police say Wright’s wife admitted to investigators that during the road rage incident, she saw her husband “reach for what she thought was a firearm in the car, and shortly after that she heard several apparent gunshots.” A Taurus 9 mm handgun was recovered from Wright’s vehicle at the scene of the shooting, with the firearm reportedly being located on the driver side floorboard with a round chambered, according to authorities.
Logan is currently being housed at the Jackson County Jail with his bond being set at $750,000.
After nearly a month long investigation, Kansas City Police arrested Laken Logan on October 22nd on a charge of second-degree murder in connection to a road rage incident from September 23rd where the suspect later allegedly admitted to authorities that he fatally shot a man identified as Cleveland Wright.
According to a probable cause statement from the Kansas City Police Department, Logan and a friend of his were on a work break and decided to pick up some food on the evening of September 23rd, with the two getting into Logan’s vehicle and making their way to a local Zaxby’s.
As the two were headed down Chouteau Trafficway, Logan claimed a vehicle, driven by Wright, had passed his vehicle “very closely” on the passenger side. This incident reportedly led to a heated exchange between Logan and Wright at a nearby red light, with the suspect allegedly telling Wright, “Watch how you’re driving, boy.”
Logan told police that after he made the comments to the other driver, Wright allegedly brandished a handgun at the two occupants. When police interviewed Logan’s co-worker inside of the vehicle during the incident, he allegedly told authorities he saw Wright raise his arm but he “could not see if there was anything in his hand.”
Following the heated exchange at the red light alongside the alleged brandishing of the firearm, Logan allegedly admitted to authorities that he “stepped on his brakes, grabbed his gun, and fired multiple shots towards the back windshield area of the other car.” The suspect allegedly told police that at first, he was aiming for the driver of the vehicle but would later tell authorities he wasn’t sure what he was aiming at.
When detectives asked about the whereabouts of the firearm used during the incident, Logan allegedly gave detectives multiple conflicting statements ranging from him ditching the firearm by throwing it into a river to selling the firearm to a friend of his.
Wright reportedly suffered a gunshot wound to the head during the incident near Chouteau Trafficway and Gardner Avenue, with his wife reportedly in the passenger seat all the while. Authorities say Wright’s vehicle crashed into a median following the shooting, with a nearby witness rendering aid to Wright before EMS arrived on the scene. However, despite lifesaving efforts, Wright was declared deceased shortly after the incident.
Police say Wright’s wife admitted to investigators that during the road rage incident, she saw her husband “reach for what she thought was a firearm in the car, and shortly after that she heard several apparent gunshots.” A Taurus 9 mm handgun was recovered from Wright’s vehicle at the scene of the shooting, with the firearm reportedly being located on the driver side floorboard with a round chambered, according to authorities.
Logan is currently being housed at the Jackson County Jail with his bond being set at $750,000.
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