KANSAS CITY, Missouri – A St. Joseph, Missouri man, Matthew Whitmill, was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison for shooting a man at a Kansas City gas station in 2023.
According to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, Whitmill pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
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On Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at approximately 11:45 p.m., a Kansas City Police Department sergeant driving north on Cleveland Avenue heard a gunshot to his east. Looking in the direction of the gunshots, the officer saw Whitmill shoot a man twice in a gas station parking lot in Kansas City.
Court documents state that after being confronted by the officer on duty, Whitmill jumped into his car and left the scene.
The officer then pursued Whitmill for several blocks and through residential areas before stopping Whitmill’s vehicle with a tire pressure regulator.
After his car came to a stop, Whitmill surrendered by lying down next to the car and was arrested. Officers then searched his car and found a handgun with one live round in the chamber and five more live rounds in the magazine.
According to court documents, the victim was taken to University Health Medical Center where he was treated for a fracture of the left femur and an occlusion of the superficial femoral artery in the left thigh.
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The number of shots fired at his left leg is unknown, but it was documented that his right leg was injured by two shots.
Due to his injuries, the victim was unable to give a statement after the shooting, but was confirmed to have survived.
Whitmill was interviewed by police after the incident. He claimed he knew the victim from work and the two had recently had heated arguments. He also described feeling intimidated due to the victim’s younger age and larger size.
According to court documents, the victim verbally threatened Whitmill at the gas station. Whitmill said that led to the shooting.
But according to surveillance camera footage from the gas station, Whitmill drove into the parking lot five minutes before the incident and shot the victim as he approached the car from behind.
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The probable cause statement stated that Whitmill had received a chemical suspension after refusing a drug and alcohol test in 2008 and that he was driving without a license at the time of the shooting.
Whitmill was sentenced by a Jackson County judge on Thursday to 15 years in prison for the assault and three years for the armed criminal action, for a total sentence of 18 years.
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