Kansas City man accused of shooting that left another driver seriously injured on Highway 71

*Update: Barrett was sentenced to 2 years of probation after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of an illegal weapon.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A Kansas City man has been accused of shooting another driver on Highway 71 in early July.

Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Monday, July 21, indicate that Diamone M. Barrett, 22, of Kansas City, has been charged in connection with the shooting.

A probable cause statement filed by the Kansas City Police Department revealed that around 8:35 p.m. on July 11, law enforcement officials were called to Truman Medical Center with reports of a shooting victim who arrived.

When first responders arrived, they said they found a man with a gunshot wound to his stomach who had been brought in with his wife and daughter. His wife reported they had been driving on Highway 71 near 29th St. when the driver of a Nissan Altima slowed down beside them and shot her husband.

Several days later, investigators said they were called to the QuikTrip at 11101 E. Highway 40 in Independence with reports of an armed driver in a black Nissan. The vehicle matched the description of the suspect in the shooting.

When the victim was lucid, law enforcement officials said he told them the driver of the Nissan had been following their vehicle since they got on the Highway from Martin Luther King Blvd. City cameras spotted the same Nissan at a gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. just before the shooting.

Investigators said that Barrett was stopped on July 15 during a traffic stop for having illegally tinted windows. He was arrested on several outstanding warrants but later released.

Law enforcement officials said they finally took Barrett into custody in connection with the shooting on Monday. At the time of his arrest, he was found with a firearm that was modified with a “switch.” It was seized as a result.

During an interview with investigators, they said Barrett claimed a friend had the car, his phone and his firearm at the time of the shooting.

As a result, court documents indicate that the Prosecutor’s Office has charged Barrett with assault in the first degree, armed criminal action and unlawful possession, repair or sale of an illegal weapon. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to life in prison.

A bond review hearing has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on July 29 with a preliminary hearing expected at 1 p.m. on Aug 18.

As of Tuesday afternoon, July 22, Barrett remains behind bars on a $75,000 bond. No further information has been released.