According to court officials, one of the two 16-year-olds who were arrested and held in juvenile detention since the mass shooting after the Kansas City Chiefs rally is now facing a felony charge of firing a gun. There is a possibility that this individual may be tried as an adult.
The teenager is facing charges for allegedly shooting at a person, which is considered a felony offense. In addition, he is also accused of resisting arrest, which is another felony-level charge.
According to a news release from the Family Court division of Jackson County Circuit Court, the charges against the teenager were amended by the Office of the Juvenile Officer on Tuesday.
Under Missouri law, the charges against the teenager have reached a level where a Family Court division judge will decide whether he should be tried as an adult.
Certification, which is a mandatory step in certain cases of serious criminal allegations, can take weeks or even months to complete in Jackson County.
Another 16-year-old teenager is currently being held in juvenile detention on charges related to firearms.
The authorities have not revealed the specific criminal charge or provided further details about the allegations. However, according to the court statement on Tuesday, the charges against the second teenager are not as severe as those that would warrant a certification hearing for a juvenile.
More than a month has passed since the shooting incident outside Union Station where 25 individuals were wounded. The authorities have revealed that the incident was a result of a dispute between two groups that escalated rapidly into gunfire.
In a recent development, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker disclosed the charges pressed against two individuals, Lyndell Mays (23) and Dominic Miller (18). The charges include felony murder and several other offenses related to the tragic death of Lopez-Galvan.
According to authorities, Mays was the one who drew and fired the first shot. On the other hand, Miller claims that he shot at someone who was actively firing a gun.
Last week, federal prosecutors announced that they had charged three men as straw purchasers of two firearms that were recovered from the shooting scene.
According to an affidavit drafted by an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, it is believed that a minimum of six individuals discharged firearms and potentially 12 individuals showcased firearms, based on the evidence gathered in the case.
Local authorities in Kansas City, on the other hand, have chosen not to disclose whether they are investigating any other potential suspects.
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