By Robert A. Cronkleton
The Kansas City Star
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A woman charged in Friday’s shooting of a Kansas City International Airport police officer had lunged at the officer’s gun after jumping behind the wheel of a police car but being prevented from fleeing, according to court documents.
At the time charges were filed in Platte County Circuit Court, it was not known if the woman had her hands on the officer’s firearm when the trigger was pulled, according to court documents.
Platte County prosecutors have charged 39-year-old Lacy Perry of Independence with tampering with a police vehicle, resisting arrest and disarming a peace officer. Prosecutors have also charged 40-year-old Kevin Bloom of Warrensburg with third-degree assault and resisting arrest by fleeing and creating a substantial risk of injury.
The incident began when airport police received a call about 4:45 a.m. Friday concerning a suspicious vehicle in one of the economy parking lots.
Two KCI police officers responded to the parking lot. One of the officers saw the suspicious vehicle, a white 1989 GMC pickup with no license plates, about to leave. The officer activated his lights and siren and tried to pull the truck over.
The pickup’s driver, later determined to be Bloom, allegedly failed to stop and sped away, driving through secured gates, according to court documents.
Airport police pursued the vehicle, which eventually was headed east on Bern Street. A police officer drove around the pickup and tried to slow it down, but Bloom allegedly rammed the patrol car. An officer then attempted a “pit” maneuver, which caused the pickup to spin out of control, striking a light pole near the ramp from Northwest Cookingham Road.
Bloom then allegedly accelerated toward and crashed into a police vehicle. Both Bloom and Perry were taken into custody. During the crash, a police officer sustained minor injuries.
Perry, who was handcuffed, was placed in a patrol car. As officers were placing handcuffs on Bloom, Perry was left unattended in the back of the patrol car. At some point, she managed to get into the driver seat and allegedly drove away in the police vehicle, according to court documents.
Perry, however, then stopped, threw the police car in reverse and accelerated back toward the officers. She stopped the vehicle and yelled for Bloom to get into the car.
A police officer told investigators she drew her gun. As officers tried to get Perry out of the driver seat of the patrol car, she allegedly resisted. Perry then lunged at a female officer’s gun with open hands. The officer said she pulled the gun away from Perry’s hands and toward her holster.
The officer said that as she tried to get her gun holstered, she heard one gunshot, and was struck in the leg by the gunfire. She was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
While being questioned by detectives, the officer became ill and was unable to continue with the interview. Investigators noted that it was unknown if Perry had her hands on the officer’s firearm when the trigger was pulled, according to court documents.
Both officers were treated and released from the hospital, according to court documents.
Bloom and Perry were taken to a hospital and then released to Kansas City police custody, which investigated the shooting. They are currently being held in Platte County jail, each on a bond of $50,000.
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