Charges dropped against 21-year-old man after fatal shooting at Independence Center mall

The Jackson County District Attorney's Office has dropped all six charges against an Independence man who allegedly shot and killed a young pregnant woman in a mall last year.

The November 10 shooting left 19-year-old Karla Brown dead after she was shot in the head following a confrontation between two groups at the Independence Center.

Mark Anthony Greer, 21, was initially charged with three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of armed criminal action for his alleged role in the shooting. One of the weapons charges was upgraded to second-degree murder earlier this year.

According to court documents, the shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. in a mall alleyway. Greer and Brown walked in with separate groups of people, and Brown had retreated and sat down on a nearby chair before the argument turned violent.

At the time of the shooting, Greer told investigators he was present at the mall but was not armed.

The Jackson County District Attorney's Office confirmed Monday that the charges had been dropped because insufficient evidence had been gathered during the pretrial investigation.

“The evidence we have received since the lawsuit was filed has convinced us that we cannot prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Michael Mansur, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office.

However, the county's investigation into Greer is continuing and more charges may follow, Mansur said.

The weapons used in the shooting were not recovered by police, who instead relied on blood spatter and bullet casings as evidence, The Star previously reported.

According to friends and family, Brown had gone to the mall to buy baby clothes. When she was shot, she was four months pregnant and expecting a boy she planned to name Max.

Brown was placed on life support after the shooting and died about a week later. Her family filed a lawsuit against the mall and its security company in April, claiming both neglected their duty to provide security at the mall.

According to court documents, Greer was also shot in the lower back during the incident, and three other people were each shot in the legs. Court documents say at least one member of each group shot at each other.

A second young man, 19-year-old Leandre Peterson Jr., still faces charges of tampering with evidence. He was initially accused of destroying, suppressing or concealing a weapon during the shooting.