Gun Store Burglary Rocks Independence, Mo.
A brazen burglary at Armory KC in Independence, Mo., has left the community reeling as authorities announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with the theft of dozens of firearms.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Keyon D. Johnson, 21, of Kansas City, Kan., stole 64 firearms from Armory KC, 10531 E. US 40 Hwy. in Independence, during a break-in that occurred about 1:50 a.m. on Thursday, August 9, 2018.
The store’s video surveillance shows a group of thieves smashing out the glass on the front door of the business, then attaching a chain to the front door of the business and to the rear of a pickup truck in order to rip the door off. The thieves entered the store and used hammers to break the glass on the display cases, then placed the firearms in bags.
A cooperating source identified Johnson as one of the thieves, and investigators located a vehicle connected to the theft on Monday, August 13, 2018. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the area of 27th Street and Parallel Parkway, the vehicle fled the area and was later found parked in a driveway. An officer saw two persons flee the area on foot and run into a wooded area. Additional officers responded to the area to assist and located Johnson, who was placed under arrest.
Officers located a Glock 9mm handgun laying near where Johnson was arrested. It was determined that the firearm had been among those stolen from Armory KC. Investigators searched Johnson’s apartment and found eight additional firearms, all of which had been stolen during the August 9, 2018, burglary of Armory KC.
Johnson was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with one count of stealing firearms from a federal licensee and one count of transporting stolen firearms across state lines. Johnson remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on August 20, 2018.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the ATF-KCPD Illegal Firearms Squad and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department.
Defendant: Keyon D. Johnson
Criminal Charges: One count of stealing firearms from a federal licensee and one count of transporting stolen firearms across state lines
City and State: Kansas City, Kan., and Independence, Mo.
Exact Date: August 9, 2018
Sentence or Outcome: Johnson remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on August 20, 2018
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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