January 13, 2015

Kansas City Man Charged with Bank Robbery, Carjacking Following Police Shooting

KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man who was shot by police officers was charged in federal court today with bank robbery and carjacking.

Steven Marquain Davis, 29, of Kansas City, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Davis is charged with armed bank robbery, carjacking and use of a firearm during a violent crime (carjacking).

Today’s criminal complaint alleges that Davis used a bomb to rob the Commerce Bank at 922 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Davis entered the bank between 4:10 and 4:20 p.m. Davis, allegedly holding a remote control device, approached a teller counter and placed a black duffel bag on the counter. The remote control was described as having a red wire wrapped around it and similar in appearance to the remote used on remote control toys. Davis allegedly told the teller “gimme everything” and that “it’s” on the side of the building, which the teller believed referred to a bomb because of the remote he was holding. The teller placed $29,689 in the black duffel bag.

After Davis left the bank, the affidavit says, he approached a 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara on Petticoat Lane, mid-block between Main Street and Walnut Avenue. Davis allegedly pulled on the door handle and ordered the driver to open the door. When she refused, he allegedly pointed a handgun at her and again stated, “Open the door.” He began banging on the window of her vehicle with the handgun, the affidavit says, before she drove away from the area.

A witness confronted Davis in the street, the affidavit says. Davis allegedly pointed a handgun at the witness and stated, “What are you looking at?” Davis allegedly tried unsuccessfully to get into two other cars in the area before multiple police officers arrived on the scene. Davis allegedly pointed a handgun at the officers, who then fired at Davis and wounded him before taking him into custody. Investigators collected $29,690, a remote device and a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver from the scene where Davis was arrested.

FBI agents located a device that appeared to be a bomb in the southwest area of the bank lobby. FBI and Kansas City, Mo., Police Department bomb technicians responded and determined the explosive device posed an imminent threat to public safety. Bomb technicians rendered the device safe.

Dickinson cautioned that 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 Christina Y. Tabor. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.