SEDGWICK COUNTY—A teen accused in a deadly shooting made his first court appearance.
James Sawyer, 19, of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder and two counts of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.
Around 2:00 a.m. Dec. 6, the Blackwell, Oklahoma Police Department contacted Sedgwick County Dispatch, reporting a shooting investigation involving two individuals who had entered a Blackwell hospital, with one of them sustaining a gunshot wound, according to Officer Andrew Ford.
Following discussions with the subjects, Blackwell Police shared information with Sedgwick County Dispatch. Consequently, the Wichita Police Department was alerted to respond to the Hydraulic and MacArthur area based on information suggesting that the shooting victim, 34-year-old Daniel McPherson, would be found there.
Upon arrival, officers discovered McPherson with a gunshot wound to his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide investigators were dispatched to conduct the investigation and later traveled to Blackwell, Oklahoma where the two suspects 18-year-old Phillip Walls of Derby and Sawyer were in custody.
On December 13, Walls was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. Two days later he was charged with 1st degree murder and two counts of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Both are being held on a bond of $750,000, each.