INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (TCD) — A man faces charges after allegedly fatally shooting a police officer and civil process server during an eviction process.
According to redacted charging documents, on Feb. 23, at around 11:40 a.m., the Jackson County Missouri Department of Civil Process posted a “Notice to Vacate” at Larry Acree’s home on North Elsea Smith Road. Nearly a week later, on Thursday, Feb. 29, a civil process server, identified by WDAF-TV as Drexel Mack, as well as two witnesses went to the residence to evict Acree, where they had to use tools to remove a padlock from the gated drive.
Mack and the witnesses reportedly tried knocking and announcing their presence, but no one answered the door, which was locked. According to the charging documents, the property maintenance contractor drilled out the lock on the door so Mack and the others could enter.
Acree allegedly shot at Mack and the witnesses as soon as they entered. Mack was struck and reportedly fell to the floor.
One of the witnesses called for help, and officers with the Independence Police Department subsequently responded. Officers entered and tried to get to Mack, but Acree allegedly fired again from inside the home.
Another victim, identified by WDAF as Independence Police officer Cody Allen, was struck in the head. A second unidentified police officer was reportedly hit in the torso. Officers returned fire.
Additional officers arrived, and according to charging documents, Acree was eventually taken into custody.
Mack, Allen, and the third unidentified victim were transported to Centerpoint Medical Center, where both Mack and Allen were pronounced dead. The third victim was taken to surgery but is expected to survive.
On March 1, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said they filed multiple charges against Acree, including two counts of first-degree murder, first-degree assault for wounding a police officer, and three counts of armed criminal action.
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker told WDAF, “I want to extend my condolences to the City of Independence. They have suffered enough tragedy to last a lifetime. But here we are again because they lost another among them.”
Acree is reportedly in the hospital but will be booked into jail on $2 million bond upon his release.
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