Devin Harris

Devin Harris was a 17-year-old described by his family as a goofy and loving person with a smile that could light up a room. The young Black man had recently earned his GED and was excited to be a new father to his 4-month-old daughter. His brother said Devin was looking forward to raising his daughter and being the best version of himself for her.

That chance was taken from him in the early hours of February 29, 2020. Around 1:30 a.m., an argument that began inside the Throwback KC nightclub in Kansas City, Missouri's, Westport entertainment district spilled out onto Mill Street. Surveillance footage showed several individuals leaving the club, getting into a white SUV in a nearby parking garage, and driving out. The occupants of the SUV, along with people in two other cars, then opened fire on a group of people involved in the earlier dispute. In the barrage of gunfire, Devin was struck and killed. Four other people, three men and one woman, were wounded but survived.

Kansas City police officers were already in the popular nightlife area and witnessed the chaos. An officer spotted a white SUV riddled with bullet holes and arrested one man, 25-year-old Devon Carter. At the scene, investigators recovered 97 shell casings. In the days and weeks that followed, detectives identified additional suspects.

Initially, Devon Carter was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. Later, police arrested his brother, Lavont Carter, and another man, Christien Woody. Prosecutors then announced that all three men were charged with murder and multiple other felonies in connection with the shooting. Over the objections of prosecutors, some of the suspects were later released from jail after their bonds were reduced, a development that worried Devin’s family.

The case took another turn when, according to a May 2024 report, a spokesperson for the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office confirmed that the case against the men had been dismissed. The spokesperson noted, however, that charges could potentially be refiled in the future. As of that update, the murder of Devin Harris remains unsolved.