KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Khia Harris, a 19-year-old Excelsior Springs woman, is facing multiple felony charges after Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers say she and three others opened fire on a pursuing patrol car during a high-speed chase through Clay and Jackson counties late Sunday night. No injuries were reported, but officers described the gunfire directed at law enforcement as exceptionally dangerous and deliberate.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the events began around 10:27 p.m. on November 16, when a trooper attempted to stop a gray Nissan Altima for speeding and a registration violation on southbound Interstate 35 near Liberty. The driver refused to stop, accelerating to more than 110 mph as the pursuit moved south toward Kansas City.
Just minutes into the chase, near Missouri 152, a passenger leaned out of the fleeing car and began firing at the trooper. More volleys were fired as the vehicle continued along I-35, onto Northeast Chouteau Trafficway, southbound I-29, and ultimately eastbound I-70. Additional shots struck the patrol car as the suspect vehicle exited at 18th Street.
The pursuit continued into Kansas City, where KCPD officers also came under fire near 17th Street and Jackson Avenue. The chase ended when the Altima turned onto a dead-end street at 40th and Mersington. All four occupants fled on foot into a wooded area. Three were arrested quickly; the fourth was located around 4 a.m., hiding in a storm drain.
Three Adults, One Juvenile in Custody
Those charged in connection with the incident include:
Thomas Weyer, 22, of Kansas City
Kaden Clark, 18, of Pleasant Valley
Khia Harris, 19, of Excelsior Springs
All three adults remain in the Clay County Detention Center on $500,000 bonds each, according to court filings.
The 16-year-old juvenile suspect remains detained pending charges through the juvenile court system.
Court Records: Multiple Occupants Fired Shots
A probable cause statement states that during an interview, one of the adult male suspects told detectives that the juvenile, seated in the rear passenger-side seat, fired an unknown number of shots during the pursuit. He also stated that other occupants, including Harris in the front passenger seat, fired shots as well.
Troopers recovered three Glock handguns in the wooded area where the suspects fled. One was equipped with a green laser sight, and two with purple lasers. Inside the Altima, officers found spent shell casings, live ammunition, nitrous oxide containers, an extended magazine, and other evidence indicating repeated gunfire from inside the vehicle.
Charges Filed Against Khia Harris
Court documents show that Harris faces the following felony charges:
Assault in the First Degree or Attempted Assault – Serious Physical Injury or Special Victim (Class A Felony)
Armed Criminal Action (Two counts – Unclassified Felony)
Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Subsection 9: Shooting At/From a Motor Vehicle at a Person, Vehicle, or Building (Class B Felony)
No Injuries Reported
Despite multiple rounds being fired at both Missouri State Highway Patrol and Kansas City Police Department vehicles, no officers or civilians were hit.
MSHP thanked several assisting agencies, including Pleasant Valley, Liberty, North Kansas City, and Kansas City police departments, as well as both the Clay and Jackson County sheriff’s offices.
Investigation Ongoing
Anyone with additional information about the incident is encouraged to contact Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A at (816) 622-0800 or visit the troop headquarters at 504 S.E. Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063. Investigators continue to gather evidence and urge anyone who may have witnessed any part of the pursuit or gunfire to come forward.
A map showing the approximate location where the pursuit began.
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