KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The two Kansas City, Kansas, police officers involved in a shooting six months ago that left a former KCKPD detective dead will not be charged.
The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Wednesday that the officers, who have not been publicly named, will not face criminal prosecution for the deadly November 2021 encounter.
Lionel Womack — a 13-year veteran with KCKPD, who had been promoted to detective in 2019, had been fired from the department 15 months before the incident.
He was shot and killed after police were called around 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2022, to the area of North 57th Street and Tauromee Avenue.
Two KCKPD officers — with 17 and two years of experience, respectively, were dispatched to investigate a man who was standing in the street, staring at the sky and impeding traffic.
KCKPD police said a struggle ensued during which the man tried to disarm one of the officers.
The service weapon of one of the two officers at the scene went off during the struggle for the officer’s gun, according to KCKPD.
Womack was shot twice and later died at an area hospital. Both officers were treated for minor injuries, according to KCKPD.
KCKPD identified Womack as the shooting victim two days after the incident on Nov. 23, 2021.
Womack’s family voiced concerns about the shooting in the days after Womack was killed.
Womack was fired by KCKPD on Aug. 11, 2020, due to “personnel issues,” according to KCKPD Chief Karl Oakman.
He had been with the department since 2007 and was promoted to detective in 2019.
Womack came from a family of police officers. His wife, mother, stepfather and two aunts worked for KCKPD in various capacities.
Four days after his termination, Womack was run over by a Kiowa County sheriff’s deputy in a field during a police chase after he fled from a traffic stop.
Womack filed a federal lawsuit, alleging excessive force after being struck and run over by a truck. He was initially stopped after being suspected of speeding.
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