Incident Overview
On August 1, 2025, a violent assault and attempted carjacking occurred at the Ward Parkway Shopping Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The victim, Elizabeth Allen, a 20-year-old UMKC student, had stopped at the shopping center near the Trader Joe's location to purchase flowers for her mother when she was attacked by multiple assailants.
According to reports, Allen was approached by two teenage girls who asked if they could charge their phones in her vehicle. When she attempted to help them, the situation turned violent. The assailants reached into her car, slapped her, and grabbed her by the hair in what her mother described as "a pretty violent altercation."
Victim Impact
Allen sustained physical injuries including the loss of four fingernails and significant bruising, scraping, and scratches to her knee.
Beyond the physical injuries, the victim continues to experience emotional trauma, with her mother reporting that Elizabeth "keeps reliving it" and "can't escape from those images."
Second Incident Just Days Later
Just days later, on August 6, 2025, a separate robbery occurred at the same shopping center. A female customer was confronted by an individual who used physical force to steal items from her. In connection with this second incident, 19-year-old Anthony R. Rushing was subsequently charged with assault in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, and two counts of armed criminal action.
Property Background and Security Measures
Ward Parkway Shopping Center has faced ongoing concerns regarding crime and security. In May 2024, the shopping center implemented a curfew policy prohibiting unaccompanied minors under 18 from being on the premises after 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
"A lot of the shopping centers throughout the country, especially in Kansas City, have adopted a policy like ours."
Shopping center's marketing director, explaining the curfew policy
The center acknowledged there had been "incidents of rowdy teens at and around Ward Parkway Shopping Center on weekends over the past year."
Timeline of Incidents
Curfew policy implemented for unaccompanied minors
Multiple crimes including car theft, car burglary, and an incident involving a 79-year-old woman
Violent carjacking attack on Elizabeth Allen
Second robbery at the same location
Following the August 2025 incidents, Ward Parkway Shopping Center management issued a statement acknowledging that "even one incident is one too many" and detailed security improvements that had been implemented, including "the installation of security cameras throughout the property, strict enforcement of curfew policies, and additional vehicle patrols." The statement also noted that the center had been "working with KCPD to enhance the security of the center."
Potential Negligent Security Considerations
Under Missouri law, businesses have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect visitors from foreseeable criminal acts. The determination of what constitutes adequate security depends on factors such as the property's criminal history, neighborhood conditions, and the foreseeability of criminal activity.
Several factors may warrant examination in connection with this incident:
1 Prior Incident History
The shopping center had documented issues with criminal activity in the months and years preceding the August 2025 attacks, including incidents in late 2024 that prompted public concern. Missouri courts consider prior criminal incidents when evaluating whether crimes were reasonably foreseeable to property owners.
2 Acknowledged Security Concerns
The center's own statements indicate awareness of security challenges, having implemented curfew policies in 2024 in response to "incidents" and concerns about unruly behavior. The property's subsequent acknowledgment that it had installed new cameras and increased patrols suggests recognition that additional measures were warranted.
3 Timing and Location
The August 1, 2025 attack occurred during daytime hours near a major anchor tenant (Trader Joe's), an area where shoppers would reasonably expect adequate safety measures to be in place.
4 Multiple Incidents in Short Succession
The occurrence of two separate violent crimes within approximately one week may raise questions about the adequacy of security measures during that period.
Missouri Law Note
Missouri's Business Premises Safety Act (RSMo Section 537.787) provides that businesses have no duty to guard against criminal acts unless they know or have reason to know such acts are being committed or are "reasonably likely to be committed" in a particular area. The determination of whether the shopping center had such knowledge, and whether the security measures in place at the time of the incidents were reasonable, would require careful examination of the specific facts and circumstances.
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