Dec 20, 2021

Suspect in drive-by shooting of Kan. girl due back in court

Posted Dec 20, 2021 2:00 PM
Purcell photo Sedgwick County
Purcell photo Sedgwick County

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in the drive-by shooting at a home in Wichita that critically injured an 11-year-old girl is scheduled to return to court Monday for an arraignment hearing, according to the Sedgwick Co. District Attorney's office.

Byron Purcell, 25 of Wichita, is charged with criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated battery, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the District Attorney's office.

Image of the suspect vehicle driving by the home Oct. 12-Wichita Police
Image of the suspect vehicle driving by the home Oct. 12-Wichita Police

On Oct. 14, police arrested Purcell. He is accused of being the gunman in a shooting that happened early Oct. 12 in a Wichita neighborhood in which bullets hit a house.

A cousin established a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/victim-of-shooting-family-needs-help?member=14541373&amp;sharetype=teams&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=more&amp;utm_source=customer">GoFundMe page </a>to help the girl's family with medical expenses.&nbsp;
A cousin established a GoFundMe page to help the girl's family with medical expenses. 

Police say an 11-year-old girl was in the house and asleep in her bed when she was hit by the gunfire. She was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Police say four other people in the home at the time of the shooting were not injured.

Purcell remains jailed on a $250,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

Since Nov. 2017 Purcell was in one of several Kansas prisons following three convictions for aggravated robbery. The state also reported Purcell had over two dozen disciplinary violation during his time in prison. He was released in June, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

---------