Monday, Nov. 19 2012 3:20PM

SHOOTING

Barbs, drinking led to shooting

A gathering to watch the Chiefs game ends in gunfire

By Toriano Porter

tporter@lsjournal.com

A man and a woman milled about Nov. 19 on the front porch of a home in the 200 block of N.E. Orchard in Lee’s Summit a day after a shooting there led to a nearly four-and-a-half hour standoff.

The pair declined to speak to a reporter, but the scene a day before was anything but quiet.

According to a probable cause statement from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office, 65-year-old Ronald Hall, who was charged Nov. 20 in Jackson County Circuit Court with one count each of first degree assault and armed criminal action, allegedly shot a family friend in the face after a day of drinking and watching the Kansas City Chiefs football game.

Court documents state Hall, who lives at the address, shot the victim from the front door of the home, and as the victim fell to the grass in the front yard of the residence, Hall retreated to the home. Once authorities arrived on the scene, Hall refused to come outside or answer officers’ calls. A 2-month old child, whom police did not identify, was in the home with Hall, but was released prior to Hall’s capture.

Hall surrendered without incident close to four-and-a-half hours after the shooting, and the child was not harmed.

Hall, the victim and a group of friends of one of Hall’s unidentified relatives were all in the home watching the Chiefs game against the Cincinnati Bengals when the group began to exchange barbs, courts records state. A witness told authorities that the group frequently drank alcohol and traded barbs at gatherings, and that Hall would become annoyed by the banter. The witness stated Hall – whom the victim could easily annoy – had threatened to shoot some in the group before, but the witness never took Hall seriously, before adding that Hall became increasingly annoyed by the victim the day of the shooting.

The witnessed expressed shock at the shooting, according to the probable cause statement.

Hall, whom the witness stated takes anti-psychotic medications, was transported from the scene of the accident to an area hospital for treatment where he still remains as of the Journal’s press time. Once he is released from the hospital, Hall will be transported to the Jackson County Jail for arraignment and booking.

The victim was described by medical personnel as suffering a stroke and is likely to have permanent brain damage and physical handicaps the rest of his life.