KC Reporter

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City woman and her son have been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing firearms used in two shootings at Swope Park on Father’s Day last year.

Kippie R. House, 54, and her son, Darryel L. Pennington, 32, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays last week. House received a sentence of 10 years and one month in federal prison without parole on Thursday, June 20. Pennington was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole on Monday, June 17.

House and Pennington each pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of a firearm. House admitted in her plea agreement that she and Pennington were involved in shootings at Swope Park on June 18, 2023. Pennington pleaded guilty without a plea agreement.

The incidents were captured on surveillance video showing House arriving at the crowded park with a Smith & Wesson .380-caliber handgun with a laser. She was confronted by a member of her ex-boyfriend’s family and became involved in a physical altercation before beginning to shoot. The unarmed woman ran to retrieve a gun from her vehicle as House continued shooting.

House then left the park to pick up her son, Pennington. They returned an hour later with Pennington firing a handgun with an extended magazine at House’s ex-boyfriend and his family from the passenger window of their vehicle. At least two people returned fire, striking Pennington in the leg.

At Research Hospital, officers found House sitting in her Dodge Challenger with multiple bullet holes while Pennington received medical treatment for his leg wound. A loaded Smith & Wesson .380 caliber handgun was found in the trunk along with a Glock 10mm semi-automatic handgun and an extended magazine loaded with ammunition.

House admitted that the firearms belonged to her and her son and had been used during the shootings at Swope Park.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone convicted of a felony to possess any firearm or ammunition. House has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen property; Pennington has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner and investigated by the Kansas City Police Department as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN aims to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities based on principles such as fostering trust, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.