Suspect in custody after allegedly threatening KC City Council member with gun

Andrea Klick
·2 min read
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A suspect is in custody after allegedly threatening Kansas City Councilman Brandon Ellington on various Facebook posts Tuesday, while walking around Ellington’s neighborhood with a rifle.

Ellington was tagged in posts starting around 9:30 a.m., where the suspect was holding a rifle and threatening the councilman. Eventually, Ellington called law enforcement once he confirmed the suspect had been on his property.

Ellington said he knows the suspect, who has been pictured with Melissa Patterson Hazley, who is running for city council in Ellington’s district.

Hazley posted a statement Tuesday, saying the individual was having a “mental health incident” and has “no official affiliation” with her campaign. She also denounced violence in all forms.

“I have spoken to hundreds of Kansas City residents, and they especially care about reducing gun violence” she said in the statement. “This issue is a top priority of mine as I am committed to focusing on the issues most important to the citizens of Kansas City.”

Ellington told The Star he believes the suspect may be part of a local political organization.

Another member of that organization, Rodney Bland, accused Ellington of assault in 2021 “by poking in (the) chest multiple times,” which court records said “did inflict bodily injury or cause an unlawful offensive contact.”

Ellington was found guilty on a municipal assault charge.

Ellington said he has filed an order of protection against the suspect. He said he’ll likely be posting a video about the incident in the next day or two.

The Kansas City Police Department is investigating, and has a suspect in custody, according to Officer Donna Drake, a police spokeswoman. They did not release the suspect’s identity.

A city spokesperson said officials were checking in with the councilman’s office to make sure the city and police were protecting Ellington and his family.

“The mayor is concerned about every threat of violence,” Assistant City Manager Melissa Kozakiewicz wrote in a statement, “particularly the very real challenge of political violence against elected officials and their staffs.”