Kansas City, Kansas, man charged with murder in Tuesday night shooting, police say

A Kansas City, Kansas, man has been charged with murder in the shooting death of another Kansas City, Kansas, man near Jersey Creek Park Tuesday night.

Willie Lee Rucker, 53, was charged with second-degree murder after allegedly shooting Jimmie Clark Jr., 44. Rucker was also charged with discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle and possession of a weapon by a felon, all felonies.

KCK police officers responded to the area of ​​North 7th Street and Parallel Parkway around 10:42 p.m. Tuesday after receiving reports of a person lying in the street.

When officers arrived, they found the man later identified as Clark on the street with apparent gunshot wounds, according to KCKPD spokeswoman Nancy Chartrand.

Paramedics pronounced Clark dead at the scene.

Kansas City police arrested Rucker on Thursday. He is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on $250,000 bail.

Rucker had previously been convicted in a Kansas court on charges including child torture, child endangerment, assault, domestic violence and attempted criminal threats.

Clark’s death is the 19th homicide reported in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2024, according to data collected by The Star. At this time last year, 19 homicides had been reported in KCK, according to data collected by The Star.