KC Man, Present at Fatal Shooting, Charged with Illegal Firearm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was charged in federal court today with illegally possessing a firearm during a shooting incident in which two women were wounded by gunfire, one of whom died as a result.

Darius D. Shaw, 30, was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.

Today’s federal criminal complaint alleges that Shaw was in possession of a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Aug. 23, 2020, in furtherance of the crime of distributing marijuana.

According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, Shaw was present during a shooting after a marijuana deal in which two women were shot, one fatally.

Kansas City police officers were dispatched to Research Medical Center at approximately 3:35 a.m. on Aug. 23, 2020, in regard to two shooting victims who arrived at the hospital for medical treatment. One of the shooting victims suffered a gunshot wound to her neck and died while officers were at the hospital. The second shooting victim, her sister, suffered a gunshot wound to her shoulder.

Investigators learned the two women were part of a group who had purchased marijuana from Shaw at his residence, the affidavit says. A verbal disturbance ensued between the group purchasing marijuana and a woman at Shaw’s residence.  As the victim’s vehicle was leaving, the woman started shooting at the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle went to the hospital when she realized the two women had been shot.
Shaw told investigators he had sold $10 worth of marijuana to a member of the group with whom the gunshot victims were traveling. He also told investigators that he regularly buys marijuana, the affidavit says, some of which he smokes and some of which he sells.

The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge 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 Ashleigh Ragner and Special U.S. Attorney Sarah Rasalam. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.