Prairie Village police working with district to maintain security in wake of murder charge against SM East student

Police say they'll be increasing surveillance at the Prairie Village skatepark that abuts their parking lot.

In light of the news that two SM East students were being charged in connection with the murder of a 16-year-old SM North student in Kansas City, Kan., Prairie Village Police Chief Wes Jordan said his department would be increasing its surveillance of the local skateboarding park and its presence at the school.

In an email message sent to Prairie Village city council members on Tuesday, Jordan said the incident that resulted in the death of Ryder Spillman was “likely stemming from disagreements between the Roeland Park skateboarders and our teens.”

Though Jordan told PVPost.com that police had no reason to suspect an act of retaliation was being planned, they were working with school officials to maintain security. Jordan said the department had stationed an extra officer at the school, and had been conducting additional drive-bys at the Prairie Village skateboarding park, which sits adjacent to the police department’s parking lot.

Both Jordan and Shawnee Mission School District spokeswoman Leigh Anne Neal stressed that because the incident did not occur at SM East or in Prairie Village, their organizations had no jurisdiction over the proceeding of the case against Stephen Reed and Shane Reed, the two teens charged in the murder. But, Jordan said, this wasn’t the first time the Reeds, who are cousins, had drawn the attention of law enforcement.

“We were aware of these kids. They’ve had problems in the past,” Jordan said. “It’s just an incredibly disappointing turn of events for the entire community.”

Jordan said he did not have any information about whether the Stephen or Shane Reed had been involved with firearms prior to the incident this weekend.