A Kansas City man has pleaded guilty to two felony charges in connection with 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.

Deon'te Copkney, dob: 1/3/2001, recently pleaded guilty to Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.*

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.

Copkney will be sentenced by a Jackson County judge on July 23, 2021.

For more information, contact:

Michael Mansur

Director of Communication

Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office

Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor

Work   : (816) 881-3812

Mobile: (816) 674-3954

mmansur@jacksongov.org

http://jacksoncountyprosecutor.com

*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.

See attached photo of our victim, Erin Langhofer