On the evening of December 22, 2018, 27-year-old Krystal R. Swygert was shot after a confrontation with her ex-boyfriend, Robert Darnell Richard Jr., that began inside a Burger King in Kansas City, Kansas. Witnesses saw them arguing; the dispute became physical, and Richard was observed removing a pink hat from Swygert’s head before both left the restaurant. Shortly afterward, gunfire occurred nearby.

Swygert, having been shot at least once, crawled into a nearby Taco Bell on Rainbow Boulevard seeking help. Patrons and employees called 911 and she was taken to the University of Kansas Hospital. Initial reports described her injuries as not life-threatening, but she later died during surgery. Before she died, Swygert identified Robert Darnell Richard Jr. as the person who shot her; that statement was later admitted at trial as a dying declaration. Surveillance video showed the two together minutes before the shooting.

Robert Darnell Richard Jr. was charged with second-degree murder and robbery for taking the hat; a jury convicted him of both counts and that conviction was affirmed on appeal. Does anyone have additional, credible details about the moments before or after the shooting that could help clarify what happened?