The Kansas City man charged in a fatal Westport shooting in August 2017 that killed an off-duty Lee’s Summit police officer Thomas Orr and injured another was sentenced today to 18 years in prison, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.
Sean D. Steward, dob: 3/10/1995, pleaded guilty to Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Murder 2nd Degree, Assault 1st Degree, two counts of Armed Criminal Action and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. The defendant was also sentenced today to 15 years on the first two counts, five years on each Armed Criminal Action conviction and 10 years on the Assault conviction. All those sentences were set to run concurrently. In addition, he was sentenced to 3 years on the Unlawful Possession of a Firearm conviction. The judge set that 3-year sentence to run consecutively to the 15 year sentence for the other convictions.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Jordan Bergus and Lauren Barrett prosecuted the case on behalf of the state of Missouri.
Officer Orr was with the LSPD since March of 2015 and he was assigned as a School Resource Officer at Campbell Bernard Middle School. Prior to joining LSPD, Officer Orr worked for the Marshall, Missouri Police Department.
Lee’s Summit Police Chief Travis Forbes issued his thoughts with today’s verdict”
“I want to thank the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office and KCPD for their hard work in Thomas Orr’s case. I know that they put a lot of time and resources into the effort.
Obviously, there is no amount of justice that will account for the life that a man like Thomas Orr lived. His contributions to our community will never be forgotten. Like many victims of this senseless type of crime, we wish we could have him back.
My thoughts today are with Thomas’s family, our community, and our family at LSPD. Rest in peace, Thomas.”
