Kansas City Crime Scene: Election Budget Battle Looms Amid Violent Year

For close readers we share another roundup of crime reporting, court cases and insight on police action amid upcoming elections . . .

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Missouri voters to decide Kansas City police budget through Amendment Four

(The Center Square) - Missourians statewide will be asked on Nov. 8 to amend its Constitution to increase minimum funding for a police force controlled by a state board. There's only one department controlled by the state - Kansas City - but it's not mentioned in the ballot language.

Woman thankful for Good Samaritans who held the suspect accused of assaulting her during food delivery

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A woman attacked while working for a food delivery service is recovering after police say a man assaulted her as he tried to steal her car. Prosecutors charged Edward T. Merritt with vehicle hijacking and assault.

Former Oak Grove teacher pleads guilty to stalking, sending pornography to students

OAK GROVE, Mo. - A former Oak Grove High School teacher pleaded guilty to stalking and sending pornography to students. Ethan C. Grumke entered the plea as part of a deal during a hearing Nov. 2. A judge sentenced the former high school teacher to four years in prison.

Lawsuit alleges KCK police were accomplices in wrongful conviction of Pete Coones

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A lawsuit filed by the family of Pete Coones alleges Kansas City, Kansas, police were accomplices in his wrongful conviction. Coones served 12 years in prison after being convicted of a murder he didn't commit. He was released in 2020 after the Wyandotte County District Attorney dismissed his charges, citing new evidence.

New team investigates police shootings in Jackson County. But will it be transparent?

The ink had hardly dried on an agreement by four police departments in eastern Jackson County to create their own team to investigate police shootings before it was put to its first test early Thursday.

Off-duty Lawrence Police officer injured in alleged overnight attack

LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - Lawrence Police are now able to confirm details about an alleged attack of an off-duty officer, which ended in the arrest of four adults and one juvenile. According to the LKPD, officers were dispatched to Bob Billings Parkway and George Williams Way just before 2:00 a.m.

A 13-year-old ran away from a Kansas foster care facility and died driving a stolen car

TOPEKA, Kansas - A 13-year-old foster child died after running away, stealing a car and crashing. The boy was at a Halloween event in Independence, Kansas, accompanied by staff from qualified residential treatment program Successful Dreams, said the Kansas Department for Children and Families.

Lansing Correctional Facility determines April inmate overdose death caused by fentanyl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The April overdose death of a Lansing Correctional Facility inmate has been tied to fentanyl, per Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson. Thompson wrote in a letter to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Friday that there is no evidence of how the man, identified as Casey Wallace, acquired the illegal substance.

KCK teen killed in Turner Halloween party shooting remembered as funny, kind

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - Funny and kind: Those are two of the words many close to Katron Harris used to describe him. Someone shot and killed the 17-year-old at a party on Halloween night in Kansas City, Kansas.

Prosecutor: Gun belt of Independence officer stopped round shot by suspect

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) - A 30-year-old man shot at an officer before police returned fire, striking and injuring him Thursday morning. A probable cause document indicated an Independence police officer had seen a disturbance at a BP Gas Sation in the 1100 block of South Crysler Avenue.

North Kansas City police search for missing teen

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The North Kansas City Police Department is searching for a missing 14-year-old last seen Friday, Oct. 28 at around 6 a.m in NKC. Jawayne T. Johnson is a Black male, 5 foot, 8 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. It is unknown what he was wearing at the time of his disappearance.

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