An Independence man has been arrested and charged in a fatal road-rage shooting in Independence. Police said Christopher P. Taylor, 39, was taken into custody in Box Elder, South Dakota. Taylor is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Whitney Gray. Gray was with her two young children and a teenage relative when she was shot about 7:40 p.m. Sunday near Winner Road and Sterling Avenue. According to court records, Gray was driving and Taylor was following her closely. He reportedly tried to pass her, nearly causing an accident. At Winner Road, witnesses told police they saw a drink or liquid thrown from the passenger side of Gray’s vehicle onto Taylor’s SUV. Then a loud "pop" was heard. Taylor’s father told police he suspected his son may have been involved in the shooting after seeing a report about the suspect’s SUV police were searching for on KMBC’s "First News." Authorities said Taylor also did not report to work. Investigators said they were able to track Taylor’s SUV with the help of a car dealership. Police said he was captured at a motel at 1416 N. Elk Vale Road in Box Elder, South Dakota. “Mr. Taylor is a person known by law enforcement to be armed and dangerous,” said Captain James Johns, Commander of the PC/RC Special Response Team. “His arrest is the result of great teamwork between the RCPD, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Box Elder Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. I’d also like to extend our tremendous appreciation to the wonderful hotel staff and patrons for their cooperation as we executed this operation to secure a dangerous murder suspect.” Prosecutors have requested $100,000 bail. Taylor was currently being held in the Pennington County, South Dakota jail.

An Independence man has been arrested and charged in a fatal road-rage shooting in Independence.

Police said Christopher P. Taylor, 39, was taken into custody in Box Elder, South Dakota.




Taylor is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Whitney Gray.

Gray was with her two young children and a teenage relative when she was shot about 7:40 p.m. Sunday near Winner Road and Sterling Avenue.



According to court records, Gray was driving and Taylor was following her closely. He reportedly tried to pass her, nearly causing an accident. At Winner Road, witnesses told police they saw a drink or liquid thrown from the passenger side of Gray’s vehicle onto Taylor’s SUV. Then a loud "pop" was heard.

Taylor’s father told police he suspected his son may have been involved in the shooting after seeing a report about the suspect’s SUV police were searching for on KMBC’s "First News."

Authorities said Taylor also did not report to work.

Investigators said they were able to track Taylor’s SUV with the help of a car dealership. Police said he was captured at a motel at 1416 N. Elk Vale Road in Box Elder, South Dakota.



“Mr. Taylor is a person known by law enforcement to be armed and dangerous,” said Captain James Johns, Commander of the PC/RC Special Response Team. “His arrest is the result of great teamwork between the RCPD, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Box Elder Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. I’d also like to extend our tremendous appreciation to the wonderful hotel staff and patrons for their cooperation as we executed this operation to secure a dangerous murder suspect.”



Prosecutors have requested $100,000 bail. Taylor was currently being held in the Pennington County, South Dakota jail.