A Northmoor man is in custody charged with the murder of a man in an apparent road rage incident at a Northmoor strip mall.
Phillip Frazier, 50, is being held without bond, on suicide watch, at the Platte County Detention Center, charged with second degree murder and armed criminal action. He is scheduled to appear back in court on Tuesday, June 13 for a preliminary and bond hearing.
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office and Riverside and Northmoor police departments responded to a shooting at around 3:15 p.m. Friday, June 2 in the 2400 block of Vivion Road. Cody Steffen, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The loss of life in situations like this is something we never want to see,” said Sheriff Mark Owen in a statement released Saturday. “This type of incident impacts not just the friends and families of those involved but the whole community. Thanks to the willingness of citizens to assist in the investigation, the cooperation between law enforcement agencies and our collective efforts this defendant was quickly taken into custody.”
According to witnesses, the altercation started after a traffic accident near the Vivion West Shopping Center. In the parking lot of the strip mall, Steffen asked Frazier for his insurance information and Frazier pulled a gun, still contained in a holster, and pointed it at Steffen. Frazier removed the holster and shot Steffen at close range. Frazier was taken into custody shortly after the shooting and was charged Saturday.
“This is the kind of tragedy that is occurring far too frequently these days,” said Prosecutor Eric Zahnd. “Someone is dead from gunfire after a minor fender bender. Fortunately, thanks to an excellent joint investigation by the Northmoor and Riverside police departments and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, this defendant was quickly apprehended and charged.”