May 18, 2024

By Lee’s Summit Tribune Staff

A man is being held by Jackson County without bond and is being charged by the with three felonies including two counts of sodomy or attempted sodomy and burglary against Lee’s Summit mother, Sarah Bommarito.

According to the probable cause statement written by Lee’s Summit Police Detective Cristopher Drake who investigated the May 6 incident, the suspect, Khalil Malik Cooper, age 20, followed a family member into Bommarito’s house through an unlocked door. Bommarito confronted him and forced Cooper out of the house only to have him force his way back into the house and physically and sexually assault her.

Bommarito was able to dial 911 and yell for help as the suspect entered the house the second time. The Lee’s Summit Communications Specialist stayed on the phone with Bommarito and was able to dispatch Lee’s Summit police officers to the scene. The probable cause statement also states that when Officer Price arrived, he could hear Bommarito screaming for help. Officer Price entered the house and heard Bommarito screaming, “He’s raping me.” After commanding the suspect to stop, Officer Price wrested with the suspect to get him off Bommarito. Cooper tried to flee police and resisted arrest. Officer Price suffered minor scratches on his face, lips and arm during the arrest.

Bommarito’s children and one of their friends were in the house during the assault.

In an interview with FOX 4 four days after the assault, Bommarito encouraged other women to fight back if assaulted and to also fight the instinct to wash it all away when it’s over.

“Before you do anything to destroy evidence, do not wash your hands, do not wash your body. I wanted to set myself on fire, I wanted to be clean, I wanted all of those things, and you have to fight because you will destroy your evidence, so fight back,” she said.