Kansas City Deadly First Friday Shooter Sentenced To 18 Years In Jail

Here's the postscript to a tragedy that destroyed a popular Kansas City tradition long before COVID.

A note from the prosecutor . . .

KC man sentenced to 18 years in prison for fatal shooting at First Friday event in KC

A Jackson County judge sentenced a Kansas City man to 18 years in prison for the fatal shooting in August 2019 of 25-year-old Erin Langhofer, who was standing at food trucks near 18th and Main Street during a First Friday event, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

In May, Deon'te Copkney, dob: 1/3/2001, pleaded guilty to Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges. On Tuesday, the judge sentenced Copkney to 18 years on the Murder 2nd Degree conviction and 3  years on the Armed Criminal Action conviction. The judge set the sentences to run concurrently.

According to court records filed today, about 10 p.m. on Aug. 3, 2019, Kansas City police responded on a call of shots fired in the area of 18th and Main Street. They found the female victim. She had been near food trucks on 18th Street and was not involved in any altercation prior to the gunfire. Officers began a foot pursuit with three males running from the scene. One of the males, who was ordered to stop running, dropped a handgun before lying on the ground. He identified himself as Deon'te Copkney. The 9 mm weapon he dropped was later confirmed to have fired the 9 mm shell casings found near the scene of the shooting. The defendant told police detectives he was the only one who fired after he and others had been in a physical altercation near the food trucks.

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Man sentenced in fatal shooting of Erin Langhofer at First Friday event in 2019

JACKSON COUNTY, MO (KCTV) -- A 20-year-old Kansas City man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in connection with the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Erin Langhofer as she stood near food trucks at a First Friday event in 2019.

Man sentenced to 18 years in deadly 2019 First Fridays shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Nearly two years after her death, Erin Langhofer's killer has been sentenced to 18 years in prison. Deon'te Copkney, 20, faced second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges for the Aug. 2, 2019 shooting at First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District.

KC man sentenced to 18 years in prison for fatal shooting of Erin Langhofer at First Friday event

Langhofer was killed by a stray bullet when gunfire broke out during First Fridays in the Crossroads district

Developing . . .