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Officials release details in Erik Spencer shooting, witnesses support self-defense claim

by Sarah Cummings
Around 7:52 p.m. on Nov. 1, JCPD responded to reports of a disturbance and shots fired in the 3500 block of Missouri Boulevard. Erik Spencer died on the scene from those gunshots. Spencer Scrivner was identified as the shooter and taken into custody by JCPD officers.

Officials said footage from multiple surveillance cameras in the area were obtained, along with one witness video. Wilde said none of these videos showed the shooting.

“The challenge with this investigation is that we had to rely wholeheartedly on eye-witness information,” Wilde said.

Throughout the investigation, law enforcement interviewed 14 independent witnesses about the shooting. Wilde said witness testimonies were consistent.

Scrivner told law enforcement he had shot Spencer while intervening in a domestic assault involving Spencer and Spencer’s girlfriend.

“In Missouri, once a person makes a claim of self-defense or defense of another, the burden falls on the state to prove that the person did not act in self-defense or defense of another. The law states that a person acts in lawful self-defense or defense of another when he or she reasonably believes that deadly force is necessary to prevent deaths serious physical injury or a forcible felony from being committed against them or a third person,” Thompson said.

He added due to the grand jury declining charges, the investigation was considered closed.

“Missouri’s self-defense laws are some of the strongest in the county, and right, wrong or indifferent we are bound by the laws passed by our legislature. It does not mean we stand up here today to condone the shooter’s actions,” Thompson said.

Wilde detailed what the investigation revealed about that night.

“Witnesses report seeing Erik Spencer slapping and punching the domestic violence victim. The domestic violence victim is struck several times and thrown to the ground multiple times after attempting to stand.”

Wilde said the woman tried to get into her vehicle but was blocked by Spencer. After getting into her car, she tried to drive away but Spencer clung to her car. The vehicle came to a stop and Spencer threw the woman’s phone across the parking lot.

“Multiple witnesses reported, at the time, yelling at Erik Spencer in attempt to get him to stop,” Wilde said.

Witnesses said Spencer did not acknowledge their yelling and remained focuses on the woman.

According to Wilde, Scrivner and a friend were sitting in a vehicle when they witnessed the disturbance become physical.

Scrivner exited the vehicle and retrieved a firearm from the trunk of his own vehicle.

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BZ Mr. Scrivner! Pity the poor Po-Po for having to rely on over a dozen eyewitnesses, all providing corroborating evidence that Mr. Spencer was an asshole who needed shootin’.

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