Kansas City mother and son convicted in Father's Day 2023 shooting at Swope Park

A Kansas City mother and son were sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for their roles in two non-fatal shootings in Swope Park on Father's Day 2023.

Kippie R. House, 54, and Darryel L. Pennington, 32, both pleaded guilty to firearm possession. As part of a plea deal, House also admitted to federal prosecutors that she and Pennington were involved in the shootings.

Pennington was sentenced June 17 to 10 years in prison, according to U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore's office, and House received the same sentence plus one month on June 20. Neither is eligible for parole.

The mother and son were prosecuted in Missouri Western District Court as co-defendants. The shooting stemmed from a confrontation with the family of House's ex-boyfriend, according to a news release issued Wednesday by Moore's office.

The shootings took place in full view of several people in the crowded park and were also caught on camera. Several families gathered for Father's Day on the afternoon of June 18, 2023, with people gathered in lawn chairs, picnic pavilions and bounce houses, according to Moore's office.

House entered the park first, alone, with a handgun and confronted a relative of her ex-boyfriend, according to Moore's office and court documents. After a physical confrontation, she began shooting the woman.

The woman ran and retrieved her own gun from a parked car, leading to a shooting in the parking lot, according to Moore's office and court documents.

House returned to the park an hour later with Pennington and they engaged in a drive-by shooting with the family of House's ex-boyfriend, according to Moore's office. Pennington was firing a handgun from the passenger seat and was shot in the leg when at least two people returned fire at the car, according to court documents.

House brought Pennington to the research hospital, where the mother and son were greeted by a Kansas City police officer. The case against House and Pennington was investigated by the Kansas City Police Department; Officers noticed several bullet holes in House's car while talking to him in the hospital parking lot.

Previous charges against House in Kansas and Missouri include theft and receiving stolen property, according to court records. At least one of the handguns involved in the shooting had previously been reported stolen, according to Moore's office.

Previous charges against Pennington in both states include unlawful use of a weapon, as well as drug possession, drug trafficking and driving while intoxicated, according to court records.