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Family of man killed at Walmart in Northland speaks out

The son and daughter of a man shot and killed in a Walmart parking lot in Platte County last Wednesday are outraged. The suspect in the case is a former police officer. Taquiza V. Johnson, 47, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action for shooting 71-year-old Ron Barnett. The 71-year-old's family is speaking out less than a week after his death. “He was trained. He knew better. You were trained to de-escalate and handle a situation. And he didn't do it,” said Elizabeth Moon, Barnett's daughter. Moon's brother echoed her sentiments in an interview Monday. “I love police officers, but it makes me angry that he was a police officer,” said John Barnett, Ron Barnett's son. Johnson served as a police officer in Kansas City, Missouri, from Dec. 10, 2003, to Feb. 25, 2014. His most recent assignment was on patrol duty. Moon was taking her daughter Mallory to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville when she learned her father was missing and wasn't answering his phone. “No matter where he is or what he's doing, he always answers his phone, and he wasn't answering his phone.” “I immediately panicked,” Moon said. Then she called her brother, John Barnett. He went to the bowling alley where his father had been and found out he had left. Then Moon found a social media link that showed her SUV at the Walmart shooting.Kansas City Crime: Former Kansas City Police Officer Charged with Murder (kmbc.com)John Barnett said his father, a diabetic, went to Walmart to get medication. He doesn't understand how his father could be a threat to anyone. “My father was 71 years old. He could barely walk. I mean, he walked, but slowly. He was very slow. I mean, 71 years old. He couldn't run a marathon or anything like that. “So it was very bad, I'm lost for words,” John Barnett said. Investigators said surveillance cameras captured the entire incident for about three minutes. Johnson was coming out of Walmart and Ron Barnett was driving his daughter's SUV. Johnson touched the vehicle and some words were exchanged. After Ron Barnett parked the SUV, Johnson came back to confront him. According to Ron Barnett's family, Johnson fired a single shot at Ron Barnett, which went right through him and the back of the SUV. Investigators removed the bullet from the back seat. “I never want my car back.” “I can't imagine sitting in that car and knowing that the bullet went through my father and into my car,” Moon said. Johnson faces a lawsuit alleging he was wrongfully held at gunpoint by a Kansas City, Missouri, police officer. “If he was honestly treated that way, he definitely knew better,” Moon said. Johnson's Missouri police license has expired due to five years of inactivity. He is due to appear in court next week for a bail hearing. Ron Barnett leaves behind three brothers, two sisters, four children, 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. His 16th child is due in October.

PLATTE COUNTY, Missouri —

The son and daughter of a man shot and killed in a Walmart parking lot in Platte County last Wednesday are outraged.

The suspect in the case is a former police officer.

Taquiza V. Johnson, 47, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the fatal shooting of 71-year-old Ron Barnett.

The 71-year-old's family speaks out less than a week after his death.

“He was trained. He knew better. You were trained to de-escalate and handle a situation. But he didn't do it,” said Elizabeth Moon, Barnett's daughter.

Moon's brother echoed her sentiments in an interview on Monday.

“I love cops, but it makes me angry that he was a cop,” said John Barnett, Ron Barnett's son.

Johnson served as a police officer in Kansas City, Missouri from December 10, 2003, to February 25, 2014. He was most recently assigned to patrol duty.

Moon was taking her daughter Mallory to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville when she learned that her father was missing and not answering his phone.

“No matter where he is or what he's doing, he always answers the phone, but he didn't answer. So I immediately panicked,” Moon said.

Then she called her brother John Barnett.

He went to the bowling alley where his father had been and found that he was gone.

Moon then found a social media link that showed her SUV at the Walmart shooting.

Crime in Kansas City: Former Kansas City police officer charged with murder (kmbc.com)

John Barnett said his father, a diabetic, went to Walmart to pick up medication.

He doesn't understand how his father could be a threat to anyone.

“My father was 71 years old. He could barely walk. He could walk, but he could walk slowly. He was very slow. He was 71 years old. He couldn't run a marathon or anything like that. It was so bad I have no words for it,” said John Barnett.

According to investigators, surveillance cameras recorded a three-minute video of the entire incident.

Johnson was coming out of Walmart and Ron Barnett was driving his daughter's SUV.

Johnson touched the vehicle and a few words were exchanged.

After Ron Barnett parked the SUV, Johnson returned to confront him.

According to Ron Barnett's family, Johnson fired a single shot at Ron Barnett, piercing himself and the tailgate of the SUV.

Investigators removed the bullet from the back seat.

“I never want my car back. I can't imagine sitting in that car and knowing that the bullet went through my father and into my car,” Moon said.

Johnson is facing a lawsuit alleging he was unlawfully held at gunpoint by a police officer in Kansas City, Missouri.

“If he was honestly treated like that, then he definitely knew better,” Moon said.

Johnson's license to practice law enforcement in Missouri was revoked due to five years of inactivity.

He is due to appear in court for a bail hearing next week.

Ron Barnett leaves behind three brothers, two sisters, four children, eleven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. His 16th child is expected in October.

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