KANSAS CITY, Mo. — People came together Thursday night in a South Kansas City neighborhood to take a step towards closure. Five members of the Woodbridge community were killed during an attempted robbery earlier in September.
Thursday night, neighbors had a chance to ask investigators and prosecutors questions about the case.
Dozens packed under a tent just down the block. It’s the second time members of the subdivision have met since they lost several of their neighbors. The first was private, Thursday was about closure and getting answers
“People have a lot of questions as to how the guy got here. Why did he target our neighborhood? All those kinds of things,” Woodbridge Homeowners Association President Rick Mayer said.
They are legitimate, basic questions, but none of that that the association could answer for them. The case against Brandon Howell is far from over and any information could jeopardize the case. The panel of police, prosecutors and Mayor Sly James wanted nothing more than to share the vital information, but couldn’t.
Instead the crowd of residents got a little insight to the grief and disbelief of those responding to the 911 call on September 2.
“I’ve been on the police department 22 years, spent three years in the homicide unit and I never was prepared for what I saw when I pulled up,” Major Karl Oakman said.
Maj. Oakman wasn’t alone with those feelings.
“I saw tears in their eyes, I saw anger on their faces and I saw disbelief, because we were in total disbelief of what was transpiring right before our eyes ,” Maj. Oakman said.
The Major’s honesty affected the crowd that still feels the pain of losing friends and neighbors.
“In one word I would have to say closure,” Mayer said.
He wanted the gathering to be about answers and closure. Friends and neighbors have to wait for one, but the other seems to be possible, they felt coming together like this was much better than a vigil.
“We already had four funerals, enough sadness,” Mayer said.
While all of the answers will still take time, for the first time Thursday night there were some smiles about the crowd. The homeowners association has set up a memorial fund, you can learn more about it by clicking on this link.
