Insets, top to bottom: Adrian Stallings (Jackson County Jail) and Craig Washington (Golden Gate Funeral Services). Background: The store in Kansas City, Missouri, where Stallings allegedly killed Washington (KSHB).
A convenience store clerk in Missouri who was trying to break up a fight was shot 17 times by an angry customer after a verbal dispute with others turned violent, cops say.
The incident happened shortly after 8:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Phillips 66 Xpress Mart on Prospect Avenue in Kansas City. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, cops found 41-year-old Craig Washington on the ground of the store suffering from several gunshot wounds to his face, forearms, torso and back.
Cops reviewed surveillance video from the store that showed the suspect, 27-year-old Adrian Stallings, come inside the store. Stallings was trying to buy some alcohol when he thought he heard someone laughing at him because he was short on money.
“What are you laughing for?” Stallings allegedly said. “You laughing? I said, “Are you laughing, though?'”
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Stallings allegedly threatened to fight one of the people inside the store, saying “I’ll smack the s— out of you.”
The argument escalated and Washington tried to keep the two parties separated. That’s when Stallings allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Washington, who fell to the ground. Washington tried to crawl away and pulled out a gun but dropped it. Stallings picked up the other gun and allegedly stood over Washington, who was “struggling to move” and fired a second volley of shots.
Stallings allegedly fired yet another round of shots and said “he’s a b—. Get the f— up.” The suspect reportedly fled in a dark-colored Chevrolet sedan.
Investigators recovered 17 shell casings at the scene and cops arrested Stallings a couple days after the shooting. He’s facing charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and felon in possession of a firearm.
Washington’s mother, Kimberly Johnson, told local NBC affiliate KSHB that her son worked at the store for several years and was well-known by customers. She said she was always worried about the violence occurring near the store.
“I would always tell him, ‘Be safe at work today,'” she said in an interview with the TV station. “Over the years he’s worked there, so much has happened on that one block…so many murders, so much tragedy.”
Johnson said she doesn’t understand why someone would kill her son.
“I can’t believe we have people walking around that angry,” she said. “How could you do that to another human being?”
Stallings remains in the Jackson County Jail without bond. His next court date is scheduled for Dec. 30.
