RAWLINS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a man in connection with a shooting in rural northwest Kansas that sent a woman to the hospital. The two were in a dating relationship, according to Rawlins County Sheriff Catlyn Wahrman.

On October 27, the&nbsp; Rawlins County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call stating that a woman had been shot at 3401 Road 17, in rural Atwood, Kansas, according to Wahrman. The woman was transported to the Rawlins County Hospital by a third-party.&nbsp; She was later flown out by Flight For Life.&nbsp; 

As Rawlins County Deputies arrived at 3401 Road 17,&nbsp; a vehicle driven by a man, later identified as 28-year-old&nbsp;Macrae Migchelbrink, left the scene and refused to stop for law-enforcement.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;Migchelbrink&nbsp;drove the vehicle across multiple fields, trying to elude deputies. The vehicle crashed and was Migchelbrink ejected, continued to run and hid from law-enforcement officers. 

Deputies eventually took Migchelbrink&nbsp; into custody and EMS&nbsp; transported him to the Rawlins County Hospital and he was flown out by Flight For Life. 

Migchelbrink remains in the Thomas County Jail without bond on requested charges of Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree; Intentional;&nbsp;Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; x2 - (Cocaine and Hydrocodone);&nbsp;Possession of firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; Criminal carry of weapons; brass knuckles;&nbsp;Flee or attempt to elude; Commission of any felony and Possession of Marijuana, according to Sheriff Wahrman.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730284348631.png" alt="Migchelbrink photo Thomas County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Migchelbrink photo Thomas County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>RAWLINS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a man in connection with a shooting in rural northwest Kansas that sent a woman to the hospital. The two were in a dating relationship, according to Rawlins County Sheriff Catlyn Wahrman.On October 27, the&nbsp; Rawlins County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call stating that a woman had been shot at 3401 Road 17, in rural Atwood, Kansas, according to Wahrman. The woman was transported to the Rawlins County Hospital by a third-party.&nbsp; She was later flown out by Flight For Life.&nbsp; As Rawlins County Deputies arrived at 3401 Road 17,&nbsp; a vehicle driven by a man, later identified as 28-year-old&nbsp;Macrae Migchelbrink, left the scene and refused to stop for law-enforcement.&nbsp; &nbsp;Migchelbrink&nbsp;drove the vehicle across multiple fields, trying to elude deputies. The vehicle crashed and was Migchelbrink ejected, continued to run and hid from law-enforcement officers. Deputies eventually took Migchelbrink&nbsp; into custody and EMS&nbsp; transported him to the Rawlins County Hospital and he was flown out by Flight For Life. Migchelbrink remains in the Thomas County Jail without bond on requested charges of Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree; Intentional;&nbsp;Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; x2 - (Cocaine and Hydrocodone);&nbsp;Possession of firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; Criminal carry of weapons; brass knuckles;&nbsp;Flee or attempt to elude; Commission of any felony and Possession of Marijuana, according to Sheriff Wahrman.

Woman injured in NW Kan. shooting was dating the suspect

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON — As the last weekend before Tuesday’s presidential election approaches, voters who want more insight on where the candidates stand on major policy issues can get up to speed through a States Newsroom Washington Bureau series.

In these 10 articles, States Newsroom reported on the policy positions taken by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, ranging from education to taxes to Social Security and Medicare.

After the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 struck down the constitutional right to abortion, Democrats made restoring access to reproductive care a core campaign issue.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/reproductive-rights-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story

The U.S. Supreme Court has been mired in controversy, from several ethics scandals to calls from Democrats to expand the number of justices on the court.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/reforms-us-supreme-court-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story

One policy issue that Trump has made central to his campaign is immigration. At his campaign rallies across the country he’s promised mass deportations of millions of immigrants living in the country without authorization.

Harris has mainly stated that she would revive a bipartisan congressional agreement when it comes to addressing U.S. immigration policy.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story

Addressing the Social Security and Medicare trust funds will become an increasingly important job for the incoming president and Congress for the next decade.

Click<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/social-security-and-medicare-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">&nbsp;here</a>&nbsp;for the story

As several states like North Carolina and Tennessee recover from Category 4 Hurricane Helene, climate change has taken up little attention in the 2024 presidential race, despite its wide-ranging effects.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/energy-and-climate-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">here&nbsp;</a>for the story

While housing is typically handled at the local level, both presidential candidates want to tackle the housing crisis at the federal level.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/housing-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story

On the campaign trail, education policies have rarely been in the spotlight, though the candidates’ policies on K-12 and higher education widely differ.

Click<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/education-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">&nbsp;here for the&nbsp;</a>story

A 2017 tax law crafted under the Trump administration is set to expire next year, meaning whichever candidate wins the White House will either overhaul the previous law or extend it.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story

Both candidates agree that gun violence is a problem, but that’s the end of where Harris and Trump are in concurrence.

Click<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/guns-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">&nbsp;here</a>&nbsp;for story

Regardless of who wins the White House, the next president will have several international crises to address. That includes the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to retreat from Ukraine and U.S-China trade relations.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/foreign-policy-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">here for the story</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726020929820.png" alt="Image courtesy ABC via CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy ABC via CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — As the last weekend before Tuesday’s presidential election approaches, voters who want more insight on where the candidates stand on major policy issues can get up to speed through a States Newsroom Washington Bureau series.In these 10 articles, States Newsroom reported on the policy positions taken by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, ranging from education to taxes to Social Security and Medicare.They are:<h2>Reproductive Rights</h2>After the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 struck down the constitutional right to abortion, Democrats made restoring access to reproductive care a core campaign issue.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/reproductive-rights-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story<h2>U.S. Supreme Court reform</h2>The U.S. Supreme Court has been mired in controversy, from several ethics scandals to calls from Democrats to expand the number of justices on the court.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/reforms-us-supreme-court-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story<h2>Immigration</h2>One policy issue that Trump has made central to his campaign is immigration. At his campaign rallies across the country he’s promised mass deportations of millions of immigrants living in the country without authorization.Harris has mainly stated that she would revive a bipartisan congressional agreement when it comes to addressing U.S. immigration policy.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story<h2>Social Security and Medicare</h2>Addressing the Social Security and Medicare trust funds will become an increasingly important job for the incoming president and Congress for the next decade.Click<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/social-security-and-medicare-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">&nbsp;here</a>&nbsp;for the story<h2>Climate and Energy</h2>As several states like North Carolina and Tennessee recover from Category 4 Hurricane Helene, climate change has taken up little attention in the 2024 presidential race, despite its wide-ranging effects.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/energy-and-climate-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">here&nbsp;</a>for the story<h2>Housing</h2>While housing is typically handled at the local level, both presidential candidates want to tackle the housing crisis at the federal level.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/housing-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story<h2>Education</h2>On the campaign trail, education policies have rarely been in the spotlight, though the candidates’ policies on K-12 and higher education widely differ.Click<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/education-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">&nbsp;here for the&nbsp;</a>story<h2>Taxes</h2>A 2017 tax law crafted under the Trump administration is set to expire next year, meaning whichever candidate wins the White House will either overhaul the previous law or extend it.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;for the story<h2>Guns</h2>Both candidates agree that gun violence is a problem, but that’s the end of where Harris and Trump are in concurrence.Click<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/guns-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">&nbsp;here</a>&nbsp;for story<h2>Foreign Policy</h2>Regardless of who wins the White House, the next president will have several international crises to address. That includes the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to retreat from Ukraine and U.S-China trade relations.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/foreign-policy-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">here for the story</a>

Where do Harris and Trump stand on 10 major policy issues?

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army's Criminal Investigation Division is looking into allegations that the four-star general who heads U.S. Central Command shoved a member of his air crew during a trip overseas, according to U.S. officials.

Officials said Army Gen. Erik Kurilla became upset during a flight and pushed the service member. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assault allegations, which recently came to light. Kurilla is still in his job and is currently in the Middle East.

The Army Criminal Investigation Division said in a statement Friday that it is “aware of an alleged incident and is currently looking into it. No additional information is available at this time.”

The division routinely conducts preliminary inquiries when allegations of misconduct are made to determine if a full investigation is warranted.

Kurilla has been traveling extensively in the Middle East, including numerous trips to Israel and other allies in the region as Israel's war with Hamas and subsequent battles against Hezbollah in Lebanon have raged on.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730494662450.png" alt="General Erik Kurilla image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>General Erik Kurilla image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army's Criminal Investigation Division is looking into allegations that the four-star general who heads U.S. Central Command shoved a member of his air crew during a trip overseas, according to U.S. officials.Officials said Army Gen. Erik Kurilla became upset during a flight and pushed the service member. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assault allegations, which recently came to light. Kurilla is still in his job and is currently in the Middle East.The Army Criminal Investigation Division said in a statement Friday that it is “aware of an alleged incident and is currently looking into it. No additional information is available at this time.”The division routinely conducts preliminary inquiries when allegations of misconduct are made to determine if a full investigation is warranted.Kurilla has been traveling extensively in the Middle East, including numerous trips to Israel and other allies in the region as Israel's war with Hamas and subsequent battles against Hezbollah in Lebanon have raged on.The inquiry was first reported by NBC.

Top U.S. commander in Middle East under investigation

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Washington state man accused of leading a wildlife trafficking ring on a Native American reservation that killed thousands of eagles and hawks to sell on the black market was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in prison.

The trafficking ring operated for years on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwest Montana, exploiting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-eagles-shooting-powwows-feathers-4994822dc54da0b3b94a1a2e2c286768">high demand</a>&nbsp;among tribal members for feathers and other bird parts that are used in powwows and sacred ceremonies.

The defendant and others killed at least 118 eagles, 107 hawks and as many as 3,600 birds overall, prosecutors said.

Juvenile golden eagles in particular were targeted because their black and white feathers are highly desired among Native Americans, officials said.

The poaching operation centered on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana, which researchers say has some of the highest concentrations of eagles and other birds of prey in the U.S. Members of the trafficking ring would set out carcasses of elk, calves and deer, and then shoot eagles that came to feed on them, officials said.

They would also shoot hawks opportunistically off of power poles and other perches.

Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-shot-trafficking-feathers-black-market-d290b0d4d537904c885a11d3baf6e5a3">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in March to charges of conspiracy and wildlife trafficking.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula said during his sentencing hearing that the killing of birds by Branson was calculated, extensive and carried out with full knowledge that he was breaking the law.

“If you had not been caught you’d still be doing it today,” the judge said. Christensen ordered Branson to pay $777,250 in restitution — $5,000 for each eagle killed and $1,750 for each hawk.

The sentence was at the upper end of federal sentencing guidelines.

Prior to being sentenced, Branson apologized to the court and his family.

“It’s my own fault,” he said. “I know what I did was wrong.”

In text messages obtained by investigators and presented at the sentencing hearing, Branson wrote of killing birds since the 1980s.

“So many I can’t remember anymore LOL,” Branson said in one text.

Other texts described eagles being shot in Nevada and Idaho and instances of dozens of birds being shot on a single weekend.

“This is just a small glimpse of the killing that was happening,” U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Mona Iannelli said during the hearing.

A second defendant in the case told authorities that the trafficking ring had been operating since 2009, killing 300 to 400 birds annually.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office have said others were also involved.

But Branson was described during Thursday’s hearing as the organizer of the trafficking ring — instructing others on where and when to shoot birds, and then arranging for the sale of their feathers and parts.

“His lack of respect for the sanctity of these protected birds was driven by only one thing: greed,” U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said following the hearing.

Laslovich added that those who purchased the feathers shared responsibility for the killings. The prosecutor said he wanted to put buyers on notice that their conduct is a federal crime.

Prosecutors had asked the judge to impose a “significant” prison sentence and order Branson to pay restitution.

He faced up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. His public defender asked for a sentence of probation and claimed that prosecutors overstated the number of birds killed.

Federal Defender Andrew Nelson also disputed the restitution amount, saying it was too high for the eagles and the hawks should not be counted.

Branson had no prior criminal history, according to Nelson. He grew up on the Flathead reservation, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Because of the criminal charges, he lost his job as a maintenance supervisor for the Kalispel Tribe in Washington and suffered a stroke in April, Nelson said.

The large numbers of birds killed in the case underscores the persistence of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-c4d7a7d43a0a4fa3b4dbeefc2347aeb9">thriving illegal trade</a>&nbsp;in eagle feathers despite law enforcement efforts over the past decade that netted dozens of criminal indictments across the U.S. West and Midwest.

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Mike Dolson said the loss of so many birds of prey from the Flathead Reservation will be felt for years to come. Eagles are important to the reservation’s ecosystem and also the cultural and spiritual practices of tribal members, he said.

“We hope this helps put a stop to illegal poaching on our homelands,” Dolson said.

Bald eagles, once highly imperiled by the pesticide DDT, have bounced back in recent decades and are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bald-eagle-population-soars-united-states-70982fdda4b8f12ce7736ea5df0b9122">now abundant</a>. The recovery of golden eagles has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-wyoming-eagles-climate-and-environment-294161a39e84ac1e102d22a4c342b298">more tenuous</a>&nbsp;and researchers have warned that the population is on the brink of decline due to shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-animals-birds-bald-eagles-8aa5cb2aa77fe3d045cd72a724376e3c">poisonings</a>, electrocutions on power lines,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dead-eagles-wind-turbines-enforcement-biden-53ce35355433e18a27324f9254a2475a">collisions with wind turbines</a>&nbsp;and other threats.

It’s illegal to buy or sell eagle feathers or other parts. The government has sought to offset strong demand for feathers among Native Americans by providing them for free from a government repository. But they’re unable to keep up with demand and the repository has a yearslong backlog.

Branson made between $180,000 and $360,000 from 2009 to 2021 selling bald and golden eagle parts illegally, court records said.

Christensen allowed Branson to remain out of custody until he reports for prison. The defendant made an obscene gesture to reporters as he left the courthouse without commenting further.

He waived his right to appeal Thursday’s sentence, under a plea deal that included the dismissal of additional charges.

The second defendant, Simon Paul, of St. Ignatius, Montana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-killed-indictment-black-market-b09d23ff49f338c9415240bd933642a0">remains at large</a>. A federal judge issued an arrest warrant for Paul in December after he failed to show up for an initial court hearing. Court documents have suggested he fled to Canada.

Federally recognized tribes can apply for permits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take a bald or golden eagle for religious purposes. Enrolled tribal members can apply for feathers and other bird parts from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fws.gov/program/national-eagle-repository" target="_blank">National Eagle Repository</a>&nbsp;in Colorado and non-government repositories in Oklahoma and Arizona.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730492674717.png" alt="Photo courtesy U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Washington state man accused of leading a wildlife trafficking ring on a Native American reservation that killed thousands of eagles and hawks to sell on the black market was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in prison.The trafficking ring operated for years on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwest Montana, exploiting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-eagles-shooting-powwows-feathers-4994822dc54da0b3b94a1a2e2c286768">high demand</a>&nbsp;among tribal members for feathers and other bird parts that are used in powwows and sacred ceremonies.The defendant and others killed at least 118 eagles, 107 hawks and as many as 3,600 birds overall, prosecutors said.Juvenile golden eagles in particular were targeted because their black and white feathers are highly desired among Native Americans, officials said.The poaching operation centered on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana, which researchers say has some of the highest concentrations of eagles and other birds of prey in the U.S. Members of the trafficking ring would set out carcasses of elk, calves and deer, and then shoot eagles that came to feed on them, officials said.They would also shoot hawks opportunistically off of power poles and other perches.Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-shot-trafficking-feathers-black-market-d290b0d4d537904c885a11d3baf6e5a3">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in March to charges of conspiracy and wildlife trafficking.U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula said during his sentencing hearing that the killing of birds by Branson was calculated, extensive and carried out with full knowledge that he was breaking the law.“If you had not been caught you’d still be doing it today,” the judge said. Christensen ordered Branson to pay $777,250 in restitution — $5,000 for each eagle killed and $1,750 for each hawk.The sentence was at the upper end of federal sentencing guidelines.Prior to being sentenced, Branson apologized to the court and his family.“It’s my own fault,” he said. “I know what I did was wrong.”ADVERTISEMENTIn text messages obtained by investigators and presented at the sentencing hearing, Branson wrote of killing birds since the 1980s.“So many I can’t remember anymore LOL,” Branson said in one text.Other texts described eagles being shot in Nevada and Idaho and instances of dozens of birds being shot on a single weekend.“This is just a small glimpse of the killing that was happening,” U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Mona Iannelli said during the hearing.A second defendant in the case told authorities that the trafficking ring had been operating since 2009, killing 300 to 400 birds annually.Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office have said others were also involved.But Branson was described during Thursday’s hearing as the organizer of the trafficking ring — instructing others on where and when to shoot birds, and then arranging for the sale of their feathers and parts.“His lack of respect for the sanctity of these protected birds was driven by only one thing: greed,” U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said following the hearing.Laslovich added that those who purchased the feathers shared responsibility for the killings. The prosecutor said he wanted to put buyers on notice that their conduct is a federal crime.ADVERTISEMENTProsecutors had asked the judge to impose a “significant” prison sentence and order Branson to pay restitution.He faced up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. His public defender asked for a sentence of probation and claimed that prosecutors overstated the number of birds killed.Federal Defender Andrew Nelson also disputed the restitution amount, saying it was too high for the eagles and the hawks should not be counted.Christensen rejected the arguments.Branson had no prior criminal history, according to Nelson. He grew up on the Flathead reservation, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.Because of the criminal charges, he lost his job as a maintenance supervisor for the Kalispel Tribe in Washington and suffered a stroke in April, Nelson said.The large numbers of birds killed in the case underscores the persistence of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-c4d7a7d43a0a4fa3b4dbeefc2347aeb9">thriving illegal trade</a>&nbsp;in eagle feathers despite law enforcement efforts over the past decade that netted dozens of criminal indictments across the U.S. West and Midwest.Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Mike Dolson said the loss of so many birds of prey from the Flathead Reservation will be felt for years to come. Eagles are important to the reservation’s ecosystem and also the cultural and spiritual practices of tribal members, he said.“We hope this helps put a stop to illegal poaching on our homelands,” Dolson said.Bald eagles, once highly imperiled by the pesticide DDT, have bounced back in recent decades and are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bald-eagle-population-soars-united-states-70982fdda4b8f12ce7736ea5df0b9122">now abundant</a>. The recovery of golden eagles has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-wyoming-eagles-climate-and-environment-294161a39e84ac1e102d22a4c342b298">more tenuous</a>&nbsp;and researchers have warned that the population is on the brink of decline due to shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-animals-birds-bald-eagles-8aa5cb2aa77fe3d045cd72a724376e3c">poisonings</a>, electrocutions on power lines,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dead-eagles-wind-turbines-enforcement-biden-53ce35355433e18a27324f9254a2475a">collisions with wind turbines</a>&nbsp;and other threats.It’s illegal to buy or sell eagle feathers or other parts. The government has sought to offset strong demand for feathers among Native Americans by providing them for free from a government repository. But they’re unable to keep up with demand and the repository has a yearslong backlog.Branson made between $180,000 and $360,000 from 2009 to 2021 selling bald and golden eagle parts illegally, court records said.Christensen allowed Branson to remain out of custody until he reports for prison. The defendant made an obscene gesture to reporters as he left the courthouse without commenting further.He waived his right to appeal Thursday’s sentence, under a plea deal that included the dismissal of additional charges.The second defendant, Simon Paul, of St. Ignatius, Montana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-killed-indictment-black-market-b09d23ff49f338c9415240bd933642a0">remains at large</a>. A federal judge issued an arrest warrant for Paul in December after he failed to show up for an initial court hearing. Court documents have suggested he fled to Canada.Federally recognized tribes can apply for permits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take a bald or golden eagle for religious purposes. Enrolled tribal members can apply for feathers and other bird parts from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fws.gov/program/national-eagle-repository" target="_blank">National Eagle Repository</a>&nbsp;in Colorado and non-government repositories in Oklahoma and Arizona.

Man who killed hundreds of eagles and sold them is going to prison

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as Peter J. Blancas, 58, of Topeka.

Just after 9a.m. Wednesday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a medical call in the 500 block of NE Gordon Street in Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. 

Medical personnel found a man who was later pronounced deceased. Due to the nature of the incident, firefighters requested police investigators to respond.

The incident is currently being investigated as a homicide. Additional updates will be provided as the investigation allows. This is the 16th homicide investigation of 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730324449445.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as Peter J. Blancas, 58, of Topeka.Just after 9a.m. Wednesday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a medical call in the 500 block of NE Gordon Street in Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Medical personnel found a man who was later pronounced deceased. Due to the nature of the incident, firefighters requested police investigators to respond.The incident is currently being investigated as a homicide. Additional updates will be provided as the investigation allows. This is the 16th homicide investigation of 2024.

Police ID homicide victim after medical call to Kansas home

MADISON, Wis. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said Friday it was “disqualifying” for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to say former Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/liz-cheney">Liz Cheney</a>, one of the former president's most prominent Republican critics, should have rifles “shooting at her” to see how she feels about sending troops to fight.

The Democratic vice president has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">campaigned extensively</a>&nbsp;with Cheney, especially in the “blue wall” battleground states that make up her strongest path to victory on Tuesday, while Trump has been going after the former Wyoming congresswoman and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, over the Iraq war and foreign military interventions.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in Madison, Wisconsin, Harris asked voters to consider who they’d prefer sitting in the Oval Office, driving the message she’s been emphasizing in the campaign’s closing week. Harris called Cheney “a true patriot” and said Trump “has increased his violent rhetoric.”

“His enemies list has grown longer. His rhetoric has grown more extreme,” Harris said. “And he is even less focused than before on the needs and the concerns and the challenges facing the American people.”

Trump and his allies say his comments are being misconstrued. They say he was arguing that Cheney is a “war hawk” but would be less supportive of using the military of she had to fight in wars herself.

He doubled down Friday, calling Cheney a “disaster” during a stop at a restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan. “She wouldn’t fight, she is a coward," he said, adding that if she was ever put on a battlefield, “she’d be the first one to chicken out.”

But the Republican presidential candidate has been using increasingly threatening rhetoric against his adversaries and talked of “enemies from within” undermining the country. Some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-john-kelly-nazis-hitler-87d672e1ec1a6645808050fc60f6b8bc">his former senior aides</a>&nbsp;and Harris have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fascism-meaning-harris-trump-kelly-fda56694feb1825dcf6477c8081a563d">labeled him a fascist</a>&nbsp;in response.

Cheney, who broke with Trump after a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, on Friday called the former president a “cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

Trump has ramped up his critiques of the Cheneys in swing state Michigan, where he is competing with Harris for the votes of Arab Americans opposed to U.S. backing of Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and its subsequent invasion of Lebanon.

At an event late Thursday in Arizona with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump was asked whether it was strange to see Cheney campaign against him. The former congresswoman has vocally opposed Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and endorsed Harris, joining the vice president at recent stops as they try to win over Republicans disaffected with Trump.

Trump called Cheney “a deranged person” and added: “But the reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries.”

The former president continued: “She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.

“You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, oh gee, well, let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,” Trump said.

Cheney responded Friday in a post on X: “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

One prominent Trump critic, former Republican congressman Joe Walsh, argued the former president's comment had been taken out of context and that Trump was “NOT calling for Liz Cheney to be executed in front of a firing line.”

“In Trump’s typically stupid, ugly fashion, he’s trying to make a point about Cheney’s stance on war,” Walsh said on X.

Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, suggested that Trump was “talking about sending a prominent Republican to the firing squad, and you have Vice President Harris talking about sending one to her Cabinet. This is the difference in this race.”

Trump said he was making a point about Cheney's foreign policy record.

“She is a war hawk,” he said in Michigan. “If she had to do it herself and she had to face the consequences of battle, she wouldn’t be doing it. So it is easy for her to talk, but she wouldn’t be doing it.”

His spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said his comments were being taken out of context, calling the controversy “the latest fake media outrage.”

Throughout his campaign, Trump has been fixated on the Americans he believes have wronged or betrayed him. He has portrayed them as worse than the United States' foreign adversaries, referring to them as “enemies from within.”

He's threatened to use the federal government, including the military, to go after them. And he has repeatedly threatened “long term prison sentences” for those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, including political operatives, donors and elected officials.

He said people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-border-civil-unrest-domestic-use-a136c69cc85184b07f161c4c09b46c50">he labeled as “the enemy from within”</a>&nbsp;should be “very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”

Some of Trump’s supporters have said his talk of vengeance is either justified or hyperbole.

Gomez Licon reported from Dearborn, Michigan and Glendale, Arizona. Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said Friday it was “disqualifying” for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to say former Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/liz-cheney">Liz Cheney</a>, one of the former president's most prominent Republican critics, should have rifles “shooting at her” to see how she feels about sending troops to fight.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Vice President Kamala Harris: &quot;He has increased his violent rhetoric, Donald Trump has, about political opponents and in great detail suggested rifles should be trained on former Rep. Liz Cheney. This must be disqualifying...Rep. Cheney is a true patriot.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ngVmMPtwKX">pic.twitter.com/ngVmMPtwKX</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1852422315579191534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Democratic vice president has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">campaigned extensively</a>&nbsp;with Cheney, especially in the “blue wall” battleground states that make up her strongest path to victory on Tuesday, while Trump has been going after the former Wyoming congresswoman and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, over the Iraq war and foreign military interventions.Speaking to reporters after arriving in Madison, Wisconsin, Harris asked voters to consider who they’d prefer sitting in the Oval Office, driving the message she’s been emphasizing in the campaign’s closing week. Harris called Cheney “a true patriot” and said Trump “has increased his violent rhetoric.”“His enemies list has grown longer. His rhetoric has grown more extreme,” Harris said. “And he is even less focused than before on the needs and the concerns and the challenges facing the American people.”Trump and his allies say his comments are being misconstrued. They say he was arguing that Cheney is a “war hawk” but would be less supportive of using the military of she had to fight in wars herself.He doubled down Friday, calling Cheney a “disaster” during a stop at a restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan. “She wouldn’t fight, she is a coward," he said, adding that if she was ever put on a battlefield, “she’d be the first one to chicken out.”But the Republican presidential candidate has been using increasingly threatening rhetoric against his adversaries and talked of “enemies from within” undermining the country. Some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-john-kelly-nazis-hitler-87d672e1ec1a6645808050fc60f6b8bc">his former senior aides</a>&nbsp;and Harris have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fascism-meaning-harris-trump-kelly-fda56694feb1825dcf6477c8081a563d">labeled him a fascist</a>&nbsp;in response.Cheney, who broke with Trump after a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, on Friday called the former president a “cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”Trump has ramped up his critiques of the Cheneys in swing state Michigan, where he is competing with Harris for the votes of Arab Americans opposed to U.S. backing of Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and its subsequent invasion of Lebanon.At an event late Thursday in Arizona with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump was asked whether it was strange to see Cheney campaign against him. The former congresswoman has vocally opposed Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and endorsed Harris, joining the vice president at recent stops as they try to win over Republicans disaffected with Trump.Trump called Cheney “a deranged person” and added: “But the reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries.”The former president continued: “She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.“You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, oh gee, well, let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,” Trump said.Cheney responded Friday in a post on X: “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”One prominent Trump critic, former Republican congressman Joe Walsh, argued the former president's comment had been taken out of context and that Trump was “NOT calling for Liz Cheney to be executed in front of a firing line.”“In Trump’s typically stupid, ugly fashion, he’s trying to make a point about Cheney’s stance on war,” Walsh said on X.Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, suggested that Trump was “talking about sending a prominent Republican to the firing squad, and you have Vice President Harris talking about sending one to her Cabinet. This is the difference in this race.”Trump said he was making a point about Cheney's foreign policy record.“She is a war hawk,” he said in Michigan. “If she had to do it herself and she had to face the consequences of battle, she wouldn’t be doing it. So it is easy for her to talk, but she wouldn’t be doing it.”His spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said his comments were being taken out of context, calling the controversy “the latest fake media outrage.”Throughout his campaign, Trump has been fixated on the Americans he believes have wronged or betrayed him. He has portrayed them as worse than the United States' foreign adversaries, referring to them as “enemies from within.”He's threatened to use the federal government, including the military, to go after them. And he has repeatedly threatened “long term prison sentences” for those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, including political operatives, donors and elected officials.He said people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-border-civil-unrest-domestic-use-a136c69cc85184b07f161c4c09b46c50">he labeled as “the enemy from within”</a>&nbsp;should be “very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”Some of Trump’s supporters have said his talk of vengeance is either justified or hyperbole.___Gomez Licon reported from Dearborn, Michigan and Glendale, Arizona. Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed.

🎥Harris calls out Trump's violent Cheney comments

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Wichita Police Department are investigating the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy from Wichita that occurred on Halloween.

Just after 10:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Officers discovered evidence of a shooting and the convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.

The victims include a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.

Initial investigations reveal that a disturbance occurred in the QuikTrip parking lot, leading to the suspect firing at a crowd, which tragically resulted in injuries to the two victims.A

Anyone with any information related to this investigation, please get in touch with the Wichita Police Department Investigations at 316-268-4407. Those wishing to remain anonymous can reach out to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Additionally, we encourage anyone with photos or videos about this incident to submit them using the following link: https://WichitaPD.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/24c194589

You can also send photos and videos to Crime Stoppers. Your contributions are crucial in helping police with the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730455429350.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Wichita Police Department are investigating the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy from Wichita that occurred on Halloween.Just after 10:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Officers discovered evidence of a shooting and the convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.The victims include a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.Initial investigations reveal that a disturbance occurred in the QuikTrip parking lot, leading to the suspect firing at a crowd, which tragically resulted in injuries to the two victims.AAnyone with any information related to this investigation, please get in touch with the Wichita Police Department Investigations at 316-268-4407. Those wishing to remain anonymous can reach out to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.Additionally, we encourage anyone with photos or videos about this incident to submit them using the following link: https://WichitaPD.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/24c194589You can also send photos and videos to Crime Stoppers. Your contributions are crucial in helping police with the investigation.

Homicide: 13-year-old Kan. boy shot on Halloween

KANSAS CITY—One person died in a crash with a police vehicle during a pursuit early Friday in Kansas City.

Shortly after 5a.m. Friday, police initiated a vehicle stop on a white sedan traveling south on Interstate 470 at Interstate 70, according to a media release from Independence Police. 

The vehicle refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated. The vehicle fled west on Interstate 70 and took the exit ramp for U.S. 40 Highway. 

The white sedan then made a u-turn and proceeded back up the exit ramp, going the wrong way up the ramp, at which time the suspect vehicle collided head-on with an Independence Police car that was trying to assist the primary officer in the pursuit.

 Lifesaving efforts were attempted on scene, but the driver died from their injuries received from the crash. The officer was transported with serious injuries to an area hospital.&nbsp; He was treated and released.&nbsp;

Police did not release the name of the officer or the victim. This crash remains under investigation by the Crash Investigations Unit.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY—One person died in a crash with a police vehicle during a pursuit early Friday in Kansas City.Shortly after 5a.m. Friday, police initiated a vehicle stop on a white sedan traveling south on Interstate 470 at Interstate 70, according to a media release from Independence Police. The vehicle refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated. The vehicle fled west on Interstate 70 and took the exit ramp for U.S. 40 Highway. The white sedan then made a u-turn and proceeded back up the exit ramp, going the wrong way up the ramp, at which time the suspect vehicle collided head-on with an Independence Police car that was trying to assist the primary officer in the pursuit. Lifesaving efforts were attempted on scene, but the driver died from their injuries received from the crash. The officer was transported with serious injuries to an area hospital.&nbsp; He was treated and released.&nbsp;Police did not release the name of the officer or the victim. This crash remains under investigation by the Crash Investigations Unit.&nbsp;

Suspect dead, officer injured after I-70 ramp crash during pursuit

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and South Korea have called on China to use its influence over Russia and North Korea to prevent escalation after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-north-korea-troops-russia-ukraine-9ee96dc1d4f07ac0813c698e6873f96b">Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to Russia</a>&nbsp;to aid Moscow's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war against Ukraine</a>. Beijing has so far stayed quiet.

In a rare meeting earlier this week, three top U.S. diplomats met with China’s ambassador to the United States to emphasize U.S. concerns and urge China to use its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-china-xi-f2b1aebf0016cc32fb40600802540a21">sway with North Korea</a>&nbsp;to try to curtail the cooperation, according to a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the sides had “a robust conversation just this week" and that China knows U.S. expectations are that “they’ll use the influence that they have to work to curb these activities."

“But I think this is a demand signal that’s coming not just from us, but from countries around the world,” he said at a news conference in Washington with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-north-korea-russia-ukraine-war-faeabb0b2c2ea162bbc6c4691df4d6c8">their South Korean counterparts</a>.

Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in a statement that China's position on the Ukraine crisis is “consistent and clear.”

China strives "for peace talks and political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. This position remains unchanged. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end,” Liu said.

The U.S. says 8,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia near Ukraine’s border and are preparing to help the Kremlin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-north-korea-russia-ukraine-war-faeabb0b2c2ea162bbc6c4691df4d6c8">fight against Ukrainian troops in the coming days</a>. China has yet to publicly comment on the move.

Beijing has forged a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-russia-putin-beijing-xi-3212ef85d8318cf853f956173f3a682a">“no limits” partnership with Moscow</a>, and while it has also been a major ally for Pyongyang, experts say Beijing might not approve of the closer military partnership between Russia and North Korea because it sees it as destabilizing in the region.

The Russia-North Korea partnership runs contrary to Beijing’s goal for a peaceful Korean Peninsula, said Shi Yinhong, an international relations expert at China’s Renmin University.

Beijing is “aware of the complexity and danger of the situation,” Shi said, noting that the “fact that China hasn’t said anything yet on the military alliance agreement between North Korea and Russia indicates that China strongly disagrees with it.”

Dennis Wilder, senior fellow for the Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on global issues at Georgetown University, called Beijing’s “radio silence” on North Korea’s move “staggering." He said Beijing must find a balance between supporting Moscow and not angering the West, and that Chinese President Xi Jinping might “for his own sake ignore the whole thing.”

Xi has built a personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and “he cannot see Putin fail,” Wilder said this week at a panel discussion hosted by the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

At the same time, Xi cannot anger the Europeans and Americans when his country's economy is struggling, Wilder said. “So he’s not going to say anything publicly about this,” Wilder said.

Victor Cha, Korean chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said at the same panel discussion that for China, “there’s probably a combination of a little bit of exasperation, a little bit of panic and a little bit of they don’t know what to do with regard to the current situation.”

It’s unclear if Beijing was informed of Pyongyang's move in advance, Cha said. Beijing also could fret over Russia gaining more influence than China over North Korea, Cha said.

Austin said Thursday that China “should be asking Russia some hard questions at this point and whether it intends to broaden this conflict by this kind of behavior.”

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Dan Kritenbrink and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs James O’Brien met with Chinese envoy Xie Feng in Washington on Tuesday, according to the State Department official, who would not detail the Chinese response.

Lu Chao, director of the Institute of American and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University in China's northeastern province of Liaoning, said the U.S. should not expect China to manage North Korea.

“It is not the case that China is responsible to manage North Korea and the U.S. is responsible for managing South Korea,” Lu said. “I hope the U.S. government could understand China’s stance."

Lu also said the troop deployment is “a matter between Russia and North Korea,” while China’s attitude remains unchanged that the conflict should not be escalated.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and South Korea have called on China to use its influence over Russia and North Korea to prevent escalation after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-north-korea-troops-russia-ukraine-9ee96dc1d4f07ac0813c698e6873f96b">Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to Russia</a>&nbsp;to aid Moscow's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war against Ukraine</a>. Beijing has so far stayed quiet.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecBlinken</a> on North Korean long-range missile test: &quot;We condemn it in the strongest terms.&quot; He also confirms there are an estimated ten thousands North Korean soldiers being trained in Russia. <a href="https://t.co/5rcpKOcD2q">pic.twitter.com/5rcpKOcD2q</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1852057821296116202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a rare meeting earlier this week, three top U.S. diplomats met with China’s ambassador to the United States to emphasize U.S. concerns and urge China to use its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-china-xi-f2b1aebf0016cc32fb40600802540a21">sway with North Korea</a>&nbsp;to try to curtail the cooperation, according to a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the sides had “a robust conversation just this week" and that China knows U.S. expectations are that “they’ll use the influence that they have to work to curb these activities."“But I think this is a demand signal that’s coming not just from us, but from countries around the world,” he said at a news conference in Washington with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-north-korea-russia-ukraine-war-faeabb0b2c2ea162bbc6c4691df4d6c8">their South Korean counterparts</a>.Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in a statement that China's position on the Ukraine crisis is “consistent and clear.”China strives "for peace talks and political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. This position remains unchanged. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end,” Liu said.The U.S. says 8,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia near Ukraine’s border and are preparing to help the Kremlin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-north-korea-russia-ukraine-war-faeabb0b2c2ea162bbc6c4691df4d6c8">fight against Ukrainian troops in the coming days</a>. China has yet to publicly comment on the move.Beijing has forged a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-russia-putin-beijing-xi-3212ef85d8318cf853f956173f3a682a">“no limits” partnership with Moscow</a>, and while it has also been a major ally for Pyongyang, experts say Beijing might not approve of the closer military partnership between Russia and North Korea because it sees it as destabilizing in the region.The Russia-North Korea partnership runs contrary to Beijing’s goal for a peaceful Korean Peninsula, said Shi Yinhong, an international relations expert at China’s Renmin University.Beijing is “aware of the complexity and danger of the situation,” Shi said, noting that the “fact that China hasn’t said anything yet on the military alliance agreement between North Korea and Russia indicates that China strongly disagrees with it.”Dennis Wilder, senior fellow for the Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on global issues at Georgetown University, called Beijing’s “radio silence” on North Korea’s move “staggering." He said Beijing must find a balance between supporting Moscow and not angering the West, and that Chinese President Xi Jinping might “for his own sake ignore the whole thing.”Xi has built a personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and “he cannot see Putin fail,” Wilder said this week at a panel discussion hosted by the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.At the same time, Xi cannot anger the Europeans and Americans when his country's economy is struggling, Wilder said. “So he’s not going to say anything publicly about this,” Wilder said.Victor Cha, Korean chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said at the same panel discussion that for China, “there’s probably a combination of a little bit of exasperation, a little bit of panic and a little bit of they don’t know what to do with regard to the current situation.”It’s unclear if Beijing was informed of Pyongyang's move in advance, Cha said. Beijing also could fret over Russia gaining more influence than China over North Korea, Cha said.Austin said Thursday that China “should be asking Russia some hard questions at this point and whether it intends to broaden this conflict by this kind of behavior.”Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Dan Kritenbrink and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs James O’Brien met with Chinese envoy Xie Feng in Washington on Tuesday, according to the State Department official, who would not detail the Chinese response.Lu Chao, director of the Institute of American and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University in China's northeastern province of Liaoning, said the U.S. should not expect China to manage North Korea.“It is not the case that China is responsible to manage North Korea and the U.S. is responsible for managing South Korea,” Lu said. “I hope the U.S. government could understand China’s stance."Lu also said the troop deployment is “a matter between Russia and North Korea,” while China’s attitude remains unchanged that the conflict should not be escalated.

US asks China for help as North Korea sends troops to help Russia in Ukraine

KANSAS CITY —A juvenile faces murder in the 2nd Degree and other felony charges in connection with the April 2024 fatal shooting of 11-year-old&nbsp; Kourtney Freeman inside a Kansas City home, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Re'mori T. Roath faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.

Roath was certified by a Family Court judge this week to stand trial as an adult. According to court records, KC Police responded to a shooting in area of 33rd and Flora. At the scene, officers found Freeman wounded inside the residence. 

She was declared deceased soon after as a result of her injuries. Six additional victims, not struck by gunfire, were found inside the residence. An occupant told police she was communicating with an unknown individual via social media about a marijuana deal. 

The unknown individual said he was as at the location. Shortly after, someone started shooting into the residence through the front door, striking the girl.

Detectives used video surveillance to track the suspect vehicle's movement as it headed south. The video also gave detectives a license plate number that was linked to the defendant. A search of the defendant's residence produced a firearm that was determined to be the firearm connected to shell casings at the crime scene. It was also determined that the defendant's DNA was on the trigger of the firearm found in the defendant's residence and connected to the crime scene.

Prosecutors requested a $250,000 cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713228804602.png" alt="Kourtney Freeman courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kourtney Freeman courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A juvenile faces murder in the 2nd Degree and other felony charges in connection with the April 2024 fatal shooting of 11-year-old&nbsp; Kourtney Freeman inside a Kansas City home, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713225081501.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>Re'mori T. Roath faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.Roath was certified by a Family Court judge this week to stand trial as an adult. According to court records, KC Police responded to a shooting in area of 33rd and Flora. At the scene, officers found Freeman wounded inside the residence. She was declared deceased soon after as a result of her injuries. Six additional victims, not struck by gunfire, were found inside the residence. An occupant told police she was communicating with an unknown individual via social media about a marijuana deal. The unknown individual said he was as at the location. Shortly after, someone started shooting into the residence through the front door, striking the girl.Detectives used video surveillance to track the suspect vehicle's movement as it headed south. The video also gave detectives a license plate number that was linked to the defendant. A search of the defendant's residence produced a firearm that was determined to be the firearm connected to shell casings at the crime scene. It was also determined that the defendant's DNA was on the trigger of the firearm found in the defendant's residence and connected to the crime scene.Prosecutors requested a $250,000 cash bond.

Teen will be tried as an adult in the killing of 11-year-old Kansas City girl

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman has made her first court appearance in the case.

Katelyn Elizabeth Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was charged with First-Degree Felony Murder, Second-Degree Murder – Reckless, Felony Flee and Elude, Aggravated Burglary, Auto Theft and Criminal Damage to Property, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

On Monday morning, officers located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Around noon, the vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.

Despite this, the suspect fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.

Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

One individual was apprehended, while another female suspect, later identified as Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.

KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.

The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.

Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on Tuesday evening, according to online jail records. Police presented their case to the district attorney on Thursday.

Barrioz is being held on a bond of $1.2 million. Her next court date is November 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730458850794.png" alt="The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash" />
 <figcaption>The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman has made her first court appearance in the case.Katelyn Elizabeth Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was charged with First-Degree Felony Murder, Second-Degree Murder – Reckless, Felony Flee and Elude, Aggravated Burglary, Auto Theft and Criminal Damage to Property, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730284905956.png" alt="Barrioz photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Barrioz photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday morning, officers located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.Around noon, the vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.Despite this, the suspect fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.One individual was apprehended, while another female suspect, later identified as Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on Tuesday evening, according to online jail records. Police presented their case to the district attorney on Thursday.Barrioz is being held on a bond of $1.2 million. Her next court date is November 12.

Driver of stolen van charged for crash that killed Kansas woman

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Donald Trump is suggesting that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">former Rep. Liz Cheney</a>, one of his most prominent Republican critics, should have guns "shooting at her” to see how she feels about sending troops to fight. It was his latest suggestion that his rivals should be targeted with violence.

Cheney responded by branding the GOP presidential nominee a “cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

The Republican presidential candidate has been using increasingly threatening rhetoric against his adversaries and talked of “enemies from within” undermining the country. Some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-john-kelly-nazis-hitler-87d672e1ec1a6645808050fc60f6b8bc">his former senior aides</a>&nbsp;and Vice President Kamala Harris have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fascism-meaning-harris-trump-kelly-fda56694feb1825dcf6477c8081a563d">labeled him a fascist</a>&nbsp;in response.

At an event late Thursday in Arizona with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump was asked whether it was strange to see Cheney campaign against him. The former Wyoming congresswoman has vocally opposed Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris, joining the vice president at recent stops as they try to win over Republicans disaffected with Trump.

Trump called Cheney “a deranged person” and added, “But the reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries.”

The former president continued: "She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.

“You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, oh gee, well let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,” Trump said.

Earlier, after Harris’ campaign and other Trump critics on social media had pounced on his comment, Trump’s campaign said he “was talking about how Liz Cheney wants to send America’s sons and daughters to fight in wars despite never being in a war herself.”

In another statement, his campaign said Trump “was clearly describing a combat zone.”

The campaign said his comments were about his message that Harris and Cheney would lead to war and young people dying in conflict. He has claimed that if elected president again, he will “prevent World War III” and has falsely claimed that Harris has spoken about reinstating the military draft.

But Trump's comments seeming to suggest Cheney face a firing squad sparked alarm from his critics.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Donald Trump is suggesting that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">former Rep. Liz Cheney</a>, one of his most prominent Republican critics, should have guns "shooting at her” to see how she feels about sending troops to fight. It was his latest suggestion that his rivals should be targeted with violence.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump on Liz Cheney: &quot;She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it, you know, when the guns are trained on her face.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/CISPyMyiLs">pic.twitter.com/CISPyMyiLs</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1852327182665765214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Cheney responded by branding the GOP presidential nominee a “cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”The Republican presidential candidate has been using increasingly threatening rhetoric against his adversaries and talked of “enemies from within” undermining the country. Some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-john-kelly-nazis-hitler-87d672e1ec1a6645808050fc60f6b8bc">his former senior aides</a>&nbsp;and Vice President Kamala Harris have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fascism-meaning-harris-trump-kelly-fda56694feb1825dcf6477c8081a563d">labeled him a fascist</a>&nbsp;in response.At an event late Thursday in Arizona with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump was asked whether it was strange to see Cheney campaign against him. The former Wyoming congresswoman has vocally opposed Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris, joining the vice president at recent stops as they try to win over Republicans disaffected with Trump.Trump called Cheney “a deranged person” and added, “But the reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries.”The former president continued: "She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.“You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, oh gee, well let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,” Trump said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730465132196.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cheney responded Friday in a post on X: “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”Earlier, after Harris’ campaign and other Trump critics on social media had pounced on his comment, Trump’s campaign said he “was talking about how Liz Cheney wants to send America’s sons and daughters to fight in wars despite never being in a war herself.”In another statement, his campaign said Trump “was clearly describing a combat zone.”The campaign said his comments were about his message that Harris and Cheney would lead to war and young people dying in conflict. He has claimed that if elected president again, he will “prevent World War III” and has falsely claimed that Harris has spoken about reinstating the military draft.But Trump's comments seeming to suggest Cheney face a firing squad sparked alarm from his critics.Throughout his campaign, Trump has been fixated on the Americans he believes have wronged or betrayed him. He has portrayed them as worse than the United States' foreign adversaries, referring to them as “enemies from within.”He's threatened to use the federal government, including the military, to go after them. And he has repeatedly threatened “long term prison sentences” for those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, including political operatives, donors and elected officials.He said people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-border-civil-unrest-domestic-use-a136c69cc85184b07f161c4c09b46c50">he labeled as “the enemy from within”</a>&nbsp;should be “very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”Some of Trump’s supporters have said his talk of vengeance is either justified or hyperbole.

🎥Trump: 'War hawk' Liz Cheney should have guns 'trained on her face'

Denton Loudermill, falsely accused on social media of being the shooter on Feb. 14 has once again sued state Sens. Rick Brattin, Denny Hoskins and Nick Schroer for defamation and invasion of privacy

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Three Republican Missouri state senators — including one running for secretary of state — are once again being sued by the man they incorrectly identified in social media posts as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-d9f4466b69cbb2dfe0f007414aebe730" target="_blank">being the shooter</a>&nbsp;at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory celebration.

Denton Loudermill of Olathe, Kansas, filed lawsuits Thursday against state Sens. Denny Hoskins of Warrensburg, Rick Brattin of Harrisonville and Nick Schroer of Defiance. In the individual lawsuits, each is accused of violating Loudermill’s privacy and libeling him with their posts.&nbsp;

Hoskins is the GOP nominee for secretary of state. Brattin is seeking re-election in the 31st Senate District. Schroer, who won his seat in the Senate in 2022, is not on the ballot this year.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Similar lawsuits against all three men&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/21/judge-dismisses-case-against-missouri-senators-over-chiefs-parade-shooting-posts/">were dismissed Oct. 21</a>&nbsp;in Kansas federal court when U.S. District Judge John Broomes ruled he did not have jurisdiction over Brattin, Hoskins and Schroer.

In the more than nine months since the Feb. 14 victory parade and pep rally, people have not stopped making him feel uncomfortable, Loudermill said in a news conference with one of his attorneys, LaRonna Lassiter Saunders.

“They come through looking at me, on video on their phone, saying ‘yeah, that’s him,” he said. “That worries me sometimes.”

In an interview with The Independent, Lassiter Saunders said she believes the jurisdictional issue is solved with the new filing. It was important to refile the cases quickly, she said, because the legal nuances could be missed by a public that has only heard the cases were dismissed.

“It’s reported that the case gets tossed, then they’re thinking, there’s some merit to the Missouri senators position,” Lassiter Saunders said.

Hoskins, reached via text message, declined to respond to the new filing.

“I have not been served and I have no comment at this time,” he said.

Brattin and Schroer did not respond to messages seeking comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730420656214.png" alt="Denton Loudermill, right, appears with his attorney, LaRonna Lassiter Saunders, at an online news conference held Thursday to discuss his new defamation lawsuits against three Missouri state senators. (Screenshot via Zoom)" />
 <figcaption>Denton Loudermill, right, appears with his attorney, LaRonna Lassiter Saunders, at an online news conference held Thursday to discuss his new defamation lawsuits against three Missouri state senators. (Screenshot via Zoom)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Denton Loudermill, falsely accused on social media of being the shooter on Feb. 14 has once again sued state Sens. Rick Brattin, Denny Hoskins and Nick Schroer for defamation and invasion of privacy</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Three Republican Missouri state senators — including one running for secretary of state — are once again being sued by the man they incorrectly identified in social media posts as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-d9f4466b69cbb2dfe0f007414aebe730" target="_blank">being the shooter</a>&nbsp;at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory celebration.Denton Loudermill of Olathe, Kansas, filed lawsuits Thursday against state Sens. Denny Hoskins of Warrensburg, Rick Brattin of Harrisonville and Nick Schroer of Defiance. In the individual lawsuits, each is accused of violating Loudermill’s privacy and libeling him with their posts.&nbsp;Hoskins is the GOP nominee for secretary of state. Brattin is seeking re-election in the 31st Senate District. Schroer, who won his seat in the Senate in 2022, is not on the ballot this year.The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Similar lawsuits against all three men&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/21/judge-dismisses-case-against-missouri-senators-over-chiefs-parade-shooting-posts/">were dismissed Oct. 21</a>&nbsp;in Kansas federal court when U.S. District Judge John Broomes ruled he did not have jurisdiction over Brattin, Hoskins and Schroer.In the more than nine months since the Feb. 14 victory parade and pep rally, people have not stopped making him feel uncomfortable, Loudermill said in a news conference with one of his attorneys, LaRonna Lassiter Saunders.Loudermill works at a car wash.“They come through looking at me, on video on their phone, saying ‘yeah, that’s him,” he said. “That worries me sometimes.”In an interview with The Independent, Lassiter Saunders said she believes the jurisdictional issue is solved with the new filing. It was important to refile the cases quickly, she said, because the legal nuances could be missed by a public that has only heard the cases were dismissed.“It’s reported that the case gets tossed, then they’re thinking, there’s some merit to the Missouri senators position,” Lassiter Saunders said.Hoskins, reached via text message, declined to respond to the new filing.“I have not been served and I have no comment at this time,” he said.Brattin and Schroer did not respond to messages seeking comment.Like thousands of other regional residents, Loudermill went to Union Station in Kansas City for the pep rally that followed the Chiefs’ victory parade after this year’s Super Bowl. As the crowd was departing, an argument in the crowd resulted in gunfire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707939847272.png" alt="Image from online coverage of the victory parade" />
 <figcaption>Image from online coverage of the victory parade</figcaption>
 </figure>The shooting at the end of the victory celebration left one person dead and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/17/kansas-city-super-bowl-rally-shooting-victims-pick-up-pieces-but-gun-violence-haunts-their-lives/">at least 24 people injured</a>.Loudermill, who was born in Kansas and lives there now, was detained briefly because he was too slow to leave the area of the shooting, he told The Independent earlier this year.A photo of him, seated, with his hands restrained behind his back, was posted on X, formally known as Twitter, by an account with the name Deep Truth Intel. That post incorrectly identified him with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68353305" target="_blank">name associated with misinformation</a>&nbsp;posted after other shootings and said he was an undocumented immigrant.Soon after that initial social media post, the Missouri Freedom Caucus, Hoskins, Brattin, Schroer and U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, posted their own versions, some with the photo, some without. Burchett’s post said he was one of the shooters and referred to him as an “illegal alien.”Burchett later deleted the tweet but included a screenshot of it&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/timburchett/status/1759645965445636470?s=20" target="_blank">that is still visible</a>&nbsp;in a separate post.A lawsuit filed against Burchett in Kansas was also dismissed because of jurisdictional issues. Lassiter Saunders said Thursday that she is working with attorneys in the Washington, D.C., area to refile the case against Burchett.“He is not off the hook,” she said.&nbsp;Hoskins’ version on social media shared a screenshot of the initial anonymous post and blamed President Joe Biden and political leaders of Kansas City for making the shooting possible.Brattin’s first post linking Loudermill to the shooting, since deleted, demanded “#POTUS CLOSE THE BORDER” and incorporated the deleted anonymous post that kicked everything off.Schroer was the least certain post about the immigration and arrest status of Loudermill among the three.Schroer’s post included a link to one from Burchett stating, over Loudermill’s photo, that “One of the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade shooters has been identified as an illegal Alien.”“Can we get any confirmation or denial of this from local officials or law enforcement?” Schroer wrote. “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.”In the complaint filed against Brattin, attorneys wrote that the lawmakers had no reason to make the comments directed at Loudermill.“The publication of the false representation that plaintiff was an ‘illegal alien’ and a ‘shooter’ was not made in good faith nor was it made by (Brattin) with any legitimate interest in making or duty to make such assertions,” the filing states.In the Kansas cases, the lawmakers were represented by Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who raised both the jurisdictional objections and claims that the senators were acting in their official capacity when they made their posts on social media. Therefore, the filings stated, they are protected by “legislative immunity.”&nbsp;When the case was dismissed, Bailey put out a statement saying it was a victory for keeping “questions of Missouri law…in Missouri courts.”Bailey’s office did not respond immediately to an email asking if the office would again provide representation. Lassiter Saunders said the attorney general should not take the case again.“I would hope not, but given the track record of the attorney general doing as he pleases, it’s a possibility,” Lassiter Saunders said.Bailey’s participation in the case generated its own dispute. In a May letter to the commissioner of the Office of Administration, the state agency that certifies payments from Missouri’s legal expense fund, Gov. Mike Parson wrote that no payments related to the lawsuits should be certified “without my approval or a court order.”Bailey’s claim of legislative immunity is based in the Missouri Constitution’s provisions on legislative privileges. Along with being immune from arrest for minor offenses while the General Assembly is in session, members also “<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++19&amp;bid=36212&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">shall not be questioned</a>&nbsp;for any speech or debate in either house in any other place.”Social media posts are not statements or speeches made during debates in the chambers, Lassiter Saunders said.“It wasn’t legitimate legislative activity,” she said. “They were following this story like hundreds of thousands of other people seeing tweets, retweeting, and we don’t believe it was the same.The lawsuit seeks to vindicate a core American principle, the right to be let alone, Lassiter Saunders said.“I would like to refocus the attention from politics to the principle of, private citizens should have the right to live their lives privately,” she said. “The elected officials need to be mindful and do a better job of not just speaking out because they have the authority to do so.”The lawsuit states that because of the hostility of some people in the public, Loudermill has “injuries and actual damages including mental distress, sleeplessness, anxiety, and agitation.”He rarely goes out, Loudermill said.“I’m just getting all the attention still,” he said. “ I just want them to pay for that.”