Intruder fatally shoots man
Jan. 11, 2007
The 23-year-old stepped into the hallway from a bedroom and saw his mother and brother standing by helplessly as an intruder ransacked the front room. Valentine got a knife and struggled with the armed intruder to protect his family, police said.
The intruder shot him and fled.
Valentine died on the floor near his front door.
His death was Kansas City’s first homicide of 2007.
The nine homicide-free days that preceded Wednesday’s shooting represent the longest homicide-free period at the beginning of a year since 1995. That year, the first homicide happened Jan. 8.
Valentine lived at the home with his mother and 21-year-old brother. The intruder knocked on their front door about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
The mother, who recently had surgery on a broken foot, asked who was there and told the stranger she was not going to open the door. She hobbled away, but the man continued to knock. That’s when, police say, the 21-year-old opened the door to see who was knocking.
The intruder barged in and started looking for valuables, which awakened Valentine. Valentine realized what was going on and grabbed a knife. Meanwhile, Valentine’s mother and brother fled to other parts of the home, police said. They heard at least one gunshot.
Police believe Valentine struggled with the intruder and may have injured him. Detectives weren’t sure whether the intruder took anything. Police said the family didn’t own anything of value other than two television sets, which were not taken. The family moved out Wednesday.
Anyone with information should call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (474-8477).