Inset: Antonio Serrano (Clay County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The CVS in North Kansas City, Mo., where Antonio Serrano shot and killed a store employee (Google Maps).
A Missouri man allegedly went to a CVS where his former lover works and fatally shot a store employee she was living with eight times, later telling police he “could have hurt more people” — and responding cops, too — “but decided not to,” according to police.
Antonio Serrano, 29, is charged with first-degree murder for the Thursday afternoon attack in North Kansas City, according to court records, which left 42-year-old CVS worker Rusty Donovan dead, local ABC affiliate KMBC reports.
Serrano fired nearly a dozen bullets at Donovan while he was behind the counter of the CVS around 3 p.m., police say. A former lover of his reportedly works at the store but was not there when Serrano allegedly showed up Thursday.
Serrano first entered the store and pointed his gun at a female employee behind the counter before opening fire on Donovan, who was nearby, according to police and surveillance footage. He allegedly kept firing at Donovan while he was on the ground.
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Authorities say Serrano asked another worker to call 911 and told them he wanted to turn himself in. He told arriving officers that he “could have shot the cops if he wanted to” and “could have hurt more people but decided not to,” according to police. He also allegedly considered fleeing the scene, but chose against it.
Serrano allegedly said he was sorry for the shooting and that he “probably deserves life in prison” for it. He also claimed he did not know why he did it.
According to police, Serrano went to the CVS a week before the shooting and confronted another employee, which led to cops being called. It’s unclear if the worker was his former lover.
Police arrested Serrano multiple times in the past and was convicted of resisting arrest or a stop in 2019, KMBC reports.
“I commend the North Kansas City Police Department for a rapid and ongoing investigation that allowed us to file charges on this horrific crime,” said Clay County Prosecutor Zach Thompson in a statement last week. “Our prayers are for all those affected by this shocking and brutal act of violence.”
CVS also released a statement after the shooting, telling local NBC affiliate KSHB, “Counseling and support services are being offered to all store colleagues to help them cope with this senseless tragedy.”
