Kansas City Man Sentenced for March 2014 Attempted First Degree Murder at The Lawrence Community Shelter

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces this afternoon Kansas City, Missouri resident Christopher J.G. McKay, 23, was sentenced today to 100 months (8.33 years) prison for attempted first-degree murder.  The Court also ordered upon his eventual release from prison that he register as a violent offender for 15 years and he complete 36 months of post-release supervision.  The original criminal case was filed in Douglas County District Court on March 14, 2014 and McKay pleaded guilty as charged on January 5, 2016. 

Law enforcement officers with the Lawrence Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol were dispatched to The Lawrence Community Shelter on March 13, 2014 shortly after 3:00 p.m.  The caller advised a person had been stabbed.  When officers arrived, they found a victim that had been stabbed in the neck and McKay being held down by staff and guests of the shelter.  The victim would be transported to Overland Park Regional Hospital where hospital staff advised he would require emergency surgery to a laceration to the right side of his neck.  He also suffered cuts to his left hand when he was defending himself from the attack.  He was later admitted to the intensive care unit.

Through the officers’ investigation, it was learned that McKay was a kitchen volunteer while a guest at the shelter.  McKay took a steak type knife from the kitchen and hid it in his sweatshirt pocket.  When McKay and the victim were walking out of the kitchen area, McKay came up behind the victim and attempted to slash his throat with the knife he had hidden in his pocket.  As the victim defended himself, staff and guests of the shelter subdued McKay and they kept him from continuing his attack on the victim. 

Today’s sentencing was held in the courtroom of the Honorable Peggy C. Kittel.  The case was investigated by the Lawrence Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol and it was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney David Melton and Assistant District Attorney Deborah Moody.       

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