Lately, almost every piece of ATV content I cover has bad connections; it’s either someone running away from the cops or someone literally riding over a cop. But, unfortunately, this story is much worse.
A man riding an ATV, as part of a group of ATV and dirt bike riders in Kansas City, followed a delivery vehicle for several blocks before shooting into the car. The vehicle contained two adults who had just finished a food delivery, a 14-year-old, and a 2-year-old. Before firing at the car, the group of riders surrounded the vehicle while kicking it and demanding to be let inside.
The driver of the vehicle managed to briefly escape the barrage from the group, but the riders followed from the area of East 18th Street and Grand Boulevard to East 27th Street and Indiana Avenue. Shortly after, one of the victims heard gunshots, which is when he jumped to cover his 2-year-old nephew’s body, before the adult was shot in the lower back. The other adult in the car was also shot in the lower back.
One of the bullet holes was just one foot away from the 2-year-old’s car seat, as noted in court documents. The shooter has been identified as Lonny Waits, and the female adult in the car said she has no idea why he shot at them or why the group attacked the vehicle.
Thankfully, police received two anonymous tips that led them to capture Waits. One of the tips led police to a Facebook user who had Waits in one of their photos, while another tip informed investigators that Waits and the group of riders went to a gas station on the night of the crime, which enabled police to get a clear view of Waits’ face via a camera. Waits was arrested on the same night the incident took place after a traffic stop.
Thankfully, no one was killed, and Waits is in custody and charged with two counts of first-degree assault, three counts of armed criminal action, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon.
