Man charged in connection with fatal shooting of bystander

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay has formally filed charges against Tony Reece Dante Baird — a man who allegedly shot and killed bystander Jerrie Ross during a recent shooting.

According to a news release Thursday from Kagay, Baird has been charged with first-degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle and aggravated assault.

He is being held on a $1 million bond.

According to Kagay, Topeka police were dispatched about 11:19 p.m. Aug. 5 to the Valero gas station, 1161 S.W. Gage Blvd., in response to a shooting.

Officers arriving at the scene learned that a person had exited a black SUV and started shooting at a red vehicle that was leaving the gas station.

Kagay said during a neighborhood canvas, police discovered Ross dead with a gunshot wound to the neck next to her home at 1190 S.W. Gage.

Law enforcement later developed information that led to the Aug. 11 arrest of Baird.