Taquiza Johnson, a former Kansas City Police Department officer, was found guilty last week of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of 71-year-old Ronald Barnett outside a Walmart in Platte County, Missouri. The shooting unfolded in less than two minutes after an apparent random confrontation in the parking lot.
Background
The incident occurred on Aug. 21, 2024, in the parking lot of the Walmart near the Shops at Boardwalk shopping mall located at Northwest Barry Road and North Boardwalk Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Surveillance footage obtained by WDAF showed Johnson leaving the big-box store and crossing through a crosswalk where Barnett was driving. Johnson extended his arm toward Barnett's vehicle, prompting the septuagenarian to reverse, stop, and exit his car.
According to charging documents, the two men interacted for approximately 20 seconds before returning to their respective vehicles. Barnett then parked and began walking toward the Walmart entrance. Meanwhile, surveillance footage captured Johnson driving toward Barnett, exiting his vehicle, approaching the victim, and firing a single shot before fleeing the scene.
Barnett was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Within 10 minutes of the shooting, Missouri Highway Patrol troopers located Johnson's vehicle at a nearby apartment complex and arrested him after he allegedly changed clothes, authorities said.
Johnson had served with the Kansas City Police Department from 2004 to 2014 but was not a member of law enforcement at the time of the shooting. He now faced significant prison time for actions that prosecutors argued were entirely unjustified.
"The instruction on self-defense in Missouri is clear," Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said in a press release. "Verbal threats are not enough. Name-calling is not enough. A person claiming self-defense must establish that the perceived aggressor possessed, exhibited, or threatened to use a weapon readily capable of lethal force. Deadly force is not justified in response to fear of being grabbed or even punched. The old axiom is true — you cannot bring a gun to a fist-fight."
The Charges
Johnson was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action, but the jury convicted him of the lesser charge of second-degree murder along with the associated weapons count. The jury also recommended a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 40 years under Missouri law. While the judge is not bound by this recommendation, such jury suggestions typically receive substantial weight during sentencing.
During trial, Johnson's defense attorneys attempted to argue self-defense, claiming their client was merely defending himself because Barnett had threatened him during their brief parking lot interaction. However, on the witness stand, Johnson himself admitted that Barnett was not armed and that he never saw a weapon of any kind.
Key Takeaways
- Taquiza Johnson, 49, was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action for killing Ronald Barnett, 71
- The shooting occurred in less than two minutes after an initial confrontation in the Walmart parking lot
- Johnson served with KCPD from 2004 to 2014 but was not a law enforcement officer at the time of the incident
- A jury recommended life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14
- Johnson's self-defense argument failed after he admitted on the stand that Barnett was unarmed and no weapon was ever displayed
- Barnett is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and five siblings
What's Next
Johnson is slated to be formally sentenced on Sept. 14 in Platte County Circuit Court. The victim's family expressed satisfaction with the jury's recommendation of life imprisonment but noted shock that Johnson was not convicted of first-degree murder, which had been their expectation. Family members also raised concerns about extended wait times during the emergency response following the initial 911 call.
"That's just crazy to me and our family," Barnett's daughter told The Kansas City Star. "But outside of that, I think we're pleased with what the jury did eventually come back with, with life in prison."