The father of a 15-year-old accused of shooting and killing Shaun Brady, an Irish chef and restaurateur in Kansas City, has argued in a juvenile court that his son should not be tried as an adult.
Mr Brady was shot and killed outside Brady and Fox, the restaurant he co-owned, in August 2024, just days before the prominent Irish Fest he had helped to organise in the city was scheduled to begin.
Mr Brady’s wife Kate was in court on Tuesday as a video was shown capturing a group of teenagers, including the accused, arriving at the restaurant in a car that, it emerged, was stolen. They then attempted to break into a Hyundai belonging to Mr Brady, who was unloading boxes at the time and intervened.
A local court report described how the video showed Mr Brady kicking at the stolen car as it departed. It then stopped. A teenager exited and shot the Irish man. Seven shell casings were found nearby. Kansas City’s murder rate has spiralled in recent years, but the random nature of Mr Brady’s killing caused widespread shock across the city.
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A decision not to reopen the restaurant was taken in January. Two teenagers were initially held in connection with the crime, one of whom was released without charge.
“Development goes a long way in life, and he hasn’t gotten that far,” said the father of the accused.
“He hasn’t developed enough to understand a mistake – and mistakes will be made throughout his life.”
The court was told about the hardships the accused had experienced, including several bouts of childhood cancer, physical punishments and involvement in street drug trade, by the age of 10, because of food insecurity.
Mr Brady, originally from Nenagh, moved from Chicago to Kansas in 2013 with his American wife, Kate, whom he met in Ireland. They had two children. He was 44 when he was killed.
