Man sentenced in 2023 Kansas City shooting witnessed by police officer on patrol

A Jackson County judge sentenced a man to 18 years in prison Thursday for a 2023 shooting outside a Kansas City gas station that was witnessed by an on-duty officer.

Matthew Whitmill, of St. Joseph, was arrested Aug. 30, after a police chase through Kansas City that ended when a tire-deflation device was used to disable the vehicle he was driving.

Whitmill pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action, according to a Jackson County prosecutor’s news release.

What happened the night of the shooting

A Kansas City police sergeant, whose name is omitted from court documents, was in a marked patrol vehicle on Cleveland Avenue and Truman Road around 11:45 p.m. when he heard a single gunshot. He turned and saw a man pointing a gun and standing over the shooting victim, saw him fire two more times, then got in a car and drove away, according to previous reporting.

The sergeant pursued the shooter while an ambulance took the victim to a hospital. Whitmill was arrested after a police chase ended when a tire-deflation devise was used to disable the vehicle. Officers reported a teal-colored 9mm handgun between the passenger seat and center console, according to previous reporting.

During an interview with detectives, Whitmill allegedly admitted to shooting the person but said he did it because he was scared of him. He said they are coworkers at the U.S. Postal Service facility down the street and had been having heated arguments recently.

Whitmill told police he encountered his coworker while visiting the gas station to buy cigarettes and was threatened verbally. He told them he was afraid because his coworker is younger and bigger than him. Surveillance video from the gas station shows Whitmill pull into the parking lot about five minutes before the shooting. The gunshot victim, whose name is not included in court documents, is shot a few seconds after walking up to the rear side of the car.