Wichita man charged with murder in shooting death of QuikTrip guard near downtown
A Wichita man has been charged with murder in the shooting death of a QuikTrip security guard last week.
Laroy Monzell West, 41, was charged Tuesday in Sedgwick County District Court with second-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon in connection to the May 5 shooting. He was also charged with three additional counts of aggravated assault and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon in connection to a March 28 incident.
West is being held in the Sedgwick County jail.
The 39-year-old victim, Will Robinson, died two days after the shooting. He was a husband and father to two children. He was known for helping homeless people at the convenience store north of downtown Wichita.
A former Wichita police officer, Robinson was working as a security guard at the QuikTrip at Murdock and Broadway that night when a man at the store caused a disruption. Police have said Robinson escorted the man out of the store and off the property. The man then shot Robinson.
“Will worked for WPD for about 10 years and I first got to know him in the police gym,” Police Chief Gordon Ramsay said in a tweet. “He was a man dedicated to his family, faith and work. I always enjoyed our talks in the gym. Was able to say good bye to him in the hospital & see/offer support to his wonderful family.”
QuikTrip Corporation spokesperson Aisha Jefferson-Smith said Robinson had been with the company for more than a year.
“On behalf of the QuikTrip Family, we wish to express our deepest sympathies, our thoughts, and prayers to Will’s family and friends,” Jefferson-Smith said in an email. “There are not enough words to capture our sorrow. QuikTrip is absolutely devastated and heart-broken by the tragic loss of Will.”
A GoFundMe set up before Robinson’s passing to help the family has raised more than $43,000.
Contributing: Michael Stavola of The Eagle
This story was originally published May 11, 2021 at 3:58 PM.