Man charged with murder in confrontation outside Northland Walmart

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A shooting that Kansas City police said was avoidable and Platte County prosecutors called “equally tragic and disturbing” led to a murder charge against the suspected gunman.

Prosecutors charged 47-year-old Taquiza V. Johnson with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. He’s accused of shooting and killing 71-year-old Ronald Barnett outside of a Northland Walmart on Wednesday afternoon .

Court documents say a brief confrontation in the parking lot happened before the shooting. Investigators say surveillance cameras showed Johnson leave the store and go through the crosswalk where Barnett was driving, and Johnson extended his arm toward Barnett’s vehicle.

According to investigators, the video shows Barnett reverse, stop, and get out of his vehicle, and Johnson began walking toward him. Whatever interaction they had only lasted about 20 seconds before Barnett got back into his vehicle, and Johnson walked back to his vehicle.

After Barnett parked, court papers say he began walking toward the Walmart entrance, and Johnson began driving in his direction and got out of his vehicle. Barnett then walked in Johnson’s direction, and investigators say Johnson shot Barnett once and left the scene.

Barnett was taken to a hospital, but died from a gunshot wound. The shooting happened less than two minutes after the men initially crossed each other’s paths according to the charging document.

“4:30 after work, in a Walmart parking lot, you can imagine this place was full,” KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino said at the scene on Wednesday.

“There could have been a worst-case scenario on top of what is already a tragic scene. So, for that, we’re fortunate. These things are avoidable, a lot of this is preventable, I don’t know many things that are worth producing a firearm over and ending someone’s life or risking getting your life ended.”

Missouri Highway Patrol troopers found Johnson’s vehicle less than 10 minutes after the shooting at an apartment complex, arresting him after he had allegedly changed his clothes.

Johnson declined to speak with investigators after he was taken to KCPD headquarters. He’s currently being held without bond, online court records don’t show any court dates yet.

FOX4 confirmed with KCPD that Johnson was formerly an officer with its department between December of 2003 and February of 2014, last assigned to the Patrol Bureau.

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