Man charged with murder after mother of his children is fatally shot

By Zoe Brown, Leslie Aguilar

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — A Kansas City man has been charged with murder in connection with a fatal shooting that happened on Sunday morning.

According to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, 33-year-old Christopher L. Spears has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

According to court records, KCPD officers went to the 4300 block of E. Linwood Blvd. after receiving a call about a shooting.

When officers arrived, they found three minors who stated that their mother and father had been arguing when their father — later identified as Spears — shot their mother.

Police found the victim, Andrea Dean, dead inside the residence at the scene.

Spears went to a Kansas City fire station, told them he had killed the mother of his children, and turned over a weapon.

He told police that he and Dean had argued and tussled over a gun when it went off. “Then he stated he shot her in the head,” according to the prosecutor’s office.

A bond of $250,000 has been requested.

The homicide happened just 10 hours after a group Kansas City faith leaders called for a 21 day ceasefire but instead of giving up on the effort for peace, they’re doubling down.

“We have an epidemic of violence,” Dr. Vernon Percy Howard, Jr., Senior Pastor at The Historic St. Mark Church of Kansas City said.

Howard and other Kansas City area clergy announced their peace initiative Saturday. The group urged the community to refrain from violence starting Sunday and instead seek resources and services like mediation and conflict resolution.

“It is seeming like we are swirling out of control already with the community not understanding how to deal with conflict,” Bishop Frank Douglas said.

Just ten hours into the effort, Dean became Kansas City’s 67th homicide.

“I know the pain that that family is experiencing. My son was killed in 2019, senselessly,” Douglas said.

The faith leaders came to the neighborhood to console nearby neighbors and pass out flyers about their 21 day ceasefire.

They say they do this after every shooting scene for the next 20 days.

“It’s going to take this entire community, not just a group of 200 clergy and community activist but every single member of this community,” Reverend Susan McCann said.

But they also want to call attention to the root causes of violence.

“Let’s stop dealing with the effects of poverty. Because this is about poverty. And a mental illness,” Jenae Davis, Founder of Camp Choice, said.

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