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Independence man charged with murder in shooting that killed police officer and court worker

A memorial for the fallen police and civil process server killed Thursday lies in front of the Independence Police Department where flags were flying at half staff.
Carlos Moreno
/
KCUR 89.3
A memorial for the fallen police and civil process server killed Thursday lies in front of the Independence Police Department where flags were flying at half staff.

Larry Acree faces two counts of first-degree murder as well as other charges including first-degree assault.

An Independence man faces two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly gunning down a police officer and a county court employee Thursday.

Prosecutors say 69-year-old Larry Acree shot and killed Drexel Mack, a 41-year-old Jackson County civil process server, and 35-year-old Independence police officer Cody Allen.

“This is a hard day,” said Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker at a press conference Friday. “I think we’d all just like to roll back the clock a few hours to see if any other fate could have been met.”

The effort to evict Acree from the house started more than a year ago.

He got a written notice to vacate last week. Mack and another court processor went to his house to physically evict Acree on Thursday and had just finished dismantling the locks on the front door when Acree allegedly opened fire. Mack fell into the house.

Three Independence officers, including Allen, rushed to the scene to try to retrieve Mack. All three of the responding officers were shot. Allen, a father of two, died from his wounds. The two other officers are expected to recover.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker takes questions Friday morning at the Independence Police Department  about the shooting that killed Police Officer Cody Allen and civil process server Drexel Mack on Thursday. Behind her are Mayor Rory Rowland, left,  and Jackson County Judge  Jalilah Otto.<br/>
Carlos Moreno
/
KCUR 89.3
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker takes questions Friday morning at the Independence Police Department about the shooting that killed Police Officer Cody Allen and civil process server Drexel Mack on Thursday. Behind her are Mayor Rory Rowland, left, and Jackson County Judge Jalilah Otto.

Baker said the shooting could be called an ambush.

A standoff ensued, and Acree was injured and eventually apprehended. He’s in custody on a $2 million bond. In addition to the two counts of murder in the first degree, Acree faces first-degree assault and other charges.

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Frank Morris has supervised the reporters in KCUR's newsroom since 1999. In addition to his managerial duties, Morris files regularly with National Public Radio. He’s covered everything from tornadoes to tax law for the network, in stories spanning eight states. His work has won dozens of awards, including four national Public Radio News Directors awards (PRNDIs) and several regional Edward R. Murrow awards. In 2012 he was honored to be named "Journalist of the Year" by the Heart of America Press Club.