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A video of a Kansas City firefighter being fatally shot by a woman on October 6, 2022, went viral after Jackson county prosecutors declined to pursue criminal charges against the suspect, who acted in self-defense.
Prosecutors in the case declined to press charges against the woman who shot and killed an off-duty Kansas City firefighter, Anthony Santi, 41. She was reportedly trying to defend her 23-year-old boyfriend, who was held in a chokehold during a brawl that broke out outside an Independence gas station.
Trigger Warning: The following video contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.
After careful deliberation, prosecutors declared that the woman’s actions met the criteria of Missouri's self-defence law. The said law mentions that an individual in Kansas is free to defend themselves and others against a perceived threat by using deadly force with impunity. In a statement to the Kansas City Star, the prosecutor's office said:
“We grieve with the family and community over this tragic loss of life of Mr Santi.“Missouri law governs this case, specifically self-defence and defence of others, leading us to decline charges after a careful review.”
Video shows Kansas City Firefighter getting into a brawl moment before he was shot
On October 6, Anthony “Tony” Santi died when he was shot at an Independence gas station along the U.S. 40 Highway in Kansas City. The video shows the off-duty firefighter got into a scuffle with Ja’Von Taylor inside a gas station store.
Santi was reportedly trying to defend a female employee at the store after Taylor allegedly became verbally abusive with her. As per the sources, the clerk told him the store didn't have the brand of cigars that he wanted to buy.
Fox News further reported that the clerk asked him to leave when an agitated Taylor refused and proceeded to hurl insults at the employee. Santi, who heard Taylor, intervened and asked him to vacate the premises. Taylor then began threatening the firefighter, which sparked a heated argument that eventually moved outside the gas station, where witnesses said that the two got into a fistfight.
Taylor's girlfriend, who was waiting inside the car, got out and tried to break up the fight, where Santi was seen restraining Taylor in a headlock. After failing to get Santi off of her boyfriend, who was visibly struggling on the ground, eventually shot the firefighter in the back. Santi then went into the store for help but later died at the scene.
According to Fox News reports, Taylor is reportedly facing a weapons charge from the incident.
Kansas City prosecutors cited the "Stand Your Ground" law while declining to press charges against the suspect
The prosecutor's decided that the woman's actions were congruent with Missouri state's controversial “Stand Your Ground” law enacted in 2016 that exempts individuals from punishment in case of self-defence.
The prosecutor's office argued that after reviewing the evidence, they concluded that the woman was unaware of the incident inside the store when she shot and killed the firefighter. Prosecutors even argued that evidence indicated the woman was only concerned with defending her companion when she used deadly force against the deceased firefighter.
A study showed that the law has led to a significant increase in the gun homicide rate in Kansas.
