KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced today that Sergio Isaac Insunza Sanchez has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action following a fatal shooting at a northeast Kansas City homeless camp on June 9.
According to court documents, the incident occurred around 6:05 a.m. when police responded to reports of gunfire near Independence Avenue and Monroe Avenue. They found Mark Simmons in an alleyway suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Despite medical treatment at University Health Truman Medical Center, Simmons passed away on June 18.
Simmons told detectives that he was sitting approximately 30 feet inside the fenced homeless camp when Insunza Sanchez approached him outside the fence and began yelling after being asked to leave. When Simmons saw what appeared to be a weapon in the suspect’s hands, he heard a gunshot and realized he had been shot. Surveillance video captured an AR-15-style rifle near the scene.
Detectives used surveillance footage and license plate readers to identify a white Ford Edge linked to Insunza Sanchez through department records and social media accounts. On June 19, officers observed him entering his residence with what appeared to be another firearm and executed a search warrant where they recovered two AR-15-style rifles from the home.
Insunza Sanchez told investigators he went to the camp intending to purchase methamphetamine from someone known as "Prince of Kansas City." He admitted firing one shot when confronted by Simmons, but claimed he did not know that his actions had resulted in a fatality. His bond has been set at $200,000 cash only.
The case highlights ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement and the community regarding public safety issues involving homeless encampments and illicit drug activity.