KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A judge has dismissed three additional lawsuits brought against state lawmakers who posted on social media, mistakenly labeling a Kansas man as one of the shooters involved in the shooting at a rally for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win.
Denton Loudermill Jr., who was briefly detained but not charged in the aftermath of the violent incident on February 14, filed federal lawsuits against three Republican senators from Missouri: Rick Brattin from Harrisonville, Denny Hoskins from Warrensburg, and Nick Schroer from St. Charles County.
The judge’s decision on Monday echoes a previous dismissal of a similar lawsuit against U.S. Representative Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, which occurred just a month earlier.
Citing jurisdictional issues, the judge noted that Loudermill, a resident of Olathe, Kansas, chose to file in federal court in Kansas instead of Missouri, where the senators are located.
Arthur Benson, Loudermill’s attorney, expressed plans to refile the lawsuits shortly. Benson also indicated that he aims to pursue a lawsuit against Congressman Burchett in Washington, D.C., where Burchett made his social media post regarding Loudermill.
The incident occurred outside the historically significant Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, where the shooting resulted in the death of a prominent DJ and left over twenty individuals wounded, many of whom were children.
In the filed lawsuits, Loudermill recounted his experience of being frozen in fear during the gunfire, remaining in the chaos until police set up crime scene tape. When he finally attempted to leave under the tape, officers told him he was moving “too slow,” subsequently handcuffing him and placing him on the curb. During this time, bystanders took photographs and shared them online.
Ultimately, Loudermill was released from the scene with assurances that he was free to go. However, posts began circulating on X, formerly Twitter, inaccurately portraying Loudermill as both an “illegal alien” and a “shooter,” despite his complete lack of involvement.
These erroneous posts, which originated from various sources including Burchett, were later shared on the social media accounts of the three Missouri lawmakers, accompanied by their own remarks.
Schroer sought confirmation from law enforcement regarding the situation while reposting Burchett’s message, stating, “I’ve been sent videos or stills showing at least 6 different people arrested from yesterday but officially told only 3 still in custody. The people deserve answers.”
Following the judge’s ruling, Schroer characterized the lawsuits as baseless and indicated he was looking into all possible legal recourses against those and media outlets that propagated misinformation, rather than addressing his original inquiry on social media.
Hoskins concurred with the judge’s ruling, expressing his continued concern and prayers for the victims of the Kansas City parade shooting.
Brattin defended the rights of elected officials to discuss public safety matters without the fear of being targeted by misleading narratives from the media, referring to such legal challenges as frivolous.
The judge also dismissed an argument suggesting that the lawmakers should be shielded by “legislative immunity,” stating it was not applicable.
The Missouri Attorney General’s office, which represented the three senators, lauded the ruling, asserting that matters of Missouri law ought to be addressed within Missouri courts. “We have maintained this position from the very beginning,” stated spokesperson Madeline Sieren. “Missourians can be confident that their Attorney General will uphold the law, even when circumstances are challenging.”