KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The investigation into the shooting by a homeowner of a Black teenager who went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers includes questions about whether it was racially motivated, authorities in Kansas City said.

Police are quickly preparing evidence for prosecutors in Thursday's shooting, Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday at a news conference at police headquarters.

“I want everyone to know that I am listening,” Graves said, “and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the the GoFundMe to assist the family

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article274380535.html">reported</a>&nbsp;the 16-year-old, whom family members have identified online as Ralph Yarl, was hospitalized Thursday night after he was shot while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend's house. Police said he went to the wrong house and was shot there.

Officials would not confirm the number of times the homeowner shot the victim or where his injuries were. Police initially said Yarl was stable but had a life-threatening injury. His current condition has not been released, other than that he is stable.

Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump told The Star the shooter appears to be white. Information that officials have now does not point to the shooting being racially motivated, but Graves said that aspect also remains under investigation.

Investigators also will consider whether or not the suspect was protected by “Stand Your Ground” laws, Graves said.

Yarl was meant to pick up his brothers from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace. He ended up ringing the doorbell at a home on 115th Street, Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, wrote online.

A man opened the door, saw Yarl and shot him in the head. When Yarl fell to the ground, the man shot him again. Yarl got up and ran from the property, but he had to ask at three different homes before someone helped him, Spoonmore wrote.

Kansas City police officers said they responded around 10 p.m.

Graves said Sunday that the homeowner was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold. While searching the scene for evidence, detectives found the firearm used. Law enforcement released the suspect pending further investigation after consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office.

Missouri law allows a person to be held up to 24 hours for a felony investigation. At that point, the person must be released or arrested and formally charged. In order to arrest someone, law enforcement needs a formal victim statement, forensic evidence and other information for a case file to be completed, Graves said.

Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement.

Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the news conference, said police understand the community’s concern that the shooting could be racially motivated. Some members of the police department attended Sunday’s protest in the neighborhood where the shooting took place to listen to community concerns, he said.

“This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized or diminished in any way. This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department," Lucas said.

Crump told The Star on Sunday that the family has retained his Florida-based law firm.

“You can’t just shoot people without having justification when somebody comes knocking on your door and knocking on your door is not justification," Crump said. “This guy should be charged.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">Crump has represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

Crump said the homeowner initially shot the teen in the head and then a second time after the boy fell to the ground. The family also has retained Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney who previously represented the family of Cameron Lamb, who was fatally shot by Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere in 2019.

Crump said that judging by what he was told by the teen’s family, the shooter is white.

“It is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play,” he said.

Even though Yarl "is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally,” Spoonmore wrote in a GoFundMe she started to raise money for Yarl’s medical bills and other expenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726215314.png" alt="Yarl-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Yarl-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The investigation into the shooting by a homeowner of a Black teenager who went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers includes questions about whether it was racially motivated, authorities in Kansas City said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Chief Graves spoke with media regarding updates in the case involving the juvenile who was shot Thursday night. <a href="https://t.co/ZTHPbwWcto">pic.twitter.com/ZTHPbwWcto</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1647716769073860608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Police are quickly preparing evidence for prosecutors in Thursday's shooting, Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday at a news conference at police headquarters.“I want everyone to know that I am listening,” Graves said, “and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the the GoFundMe to assist the familyThe Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article274380535.html">reported</a>&nbsp;the 16-year-old, whom family members have identified online as Ralph Yarl, was hospitalized Thursday night after he was shot while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend's house. Police said he went to the wrong house and was shot there.Officials would not confirm the number of times the homeowner shot the victim or where his injuries were. Police initially said Yarl was stable but had a life-threatening injury. His current condition has not been released, other than that he is stable.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Like many, I am heartbroken and angered by the recent shooting of a child in our community who simply came to a doorstep to pick up his younger siblings. This never should have happened.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1647735414898270208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump told The Star the shooter appears to be white. Information that officials have now does not point to the shooting being racially motivated, but Graves said that aspect also remains under investigation.Investigators also will consider whether or not the suspect was protected by “Stand Your Ground” laws, Graves said.Yarl was meant to pick up his brothers from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace. He ended up ringing the doorbell at a home on 115th Street, Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, wrote online.A man opened the door, saw Yarl and shot him in the head. When Yarl fell to the ground, the man shot him again. Yarl got up and ran from the property, but he had to ask at three different homes before someone helped him, Spoonmore wrote.Kansas City police officers said they responded around 10 p.m.Graves said Sunday that the homeowner was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold. While searching the scene for evidence, detectives found the firearm used. Law enforcement released the suspect pending further investigation after consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office.Missouri law allows a person to be held up to 24 hours for a felony investigation. At that point, the person must be released or arrested and formally charged. In order to arrest someone, law enforcement needs a formal victim statement, forensic evidence and other information for a case file to be completed, Graves said.Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement.Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the news conference, said police understand the community’s concern that the shooting could be racially motivated. Some members of the police department attended Sunday’s protest in the neighborhood where the shooting took place to listen to community concerns, he said.“This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized or diminished in any way. This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department," Lucas said.Crump told The Star on Sunday that the family has retained his Florida-based law firm.“You can’t just shoot people without having justification when somebody comes knocking on your door and knocking on your door is not justification," Crump said. “This guy should be charged.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">Crump has represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.Crump said the homeowner initially shot the teen in the head and then a second time after the boy fell to the ground. The family also has retained Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney who previously represented the family of Cameron Lamb, who was fatally shot by Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere in 2019.Crump said that judging by what he was told by the teen’s family, the shooter is white.“It is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play,” he said.Even though Yarl "is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally,” Spoonmore wrote in a GoFundMe she started to raise money for Yarl’s medical bills and other expenses.----------

🎥Homeowner shoots, injures Black teen who went to wrong house

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681694034562.jpeg" alt="Joshua Shane Linville, Distribute/poss w/int to distribute/manufacture paraph except 21-5706(b); Distribute certain depressant; Dose 10 - &lt;100 units in 1000' school; Possession of marijuana; Failure to wear seatbelt; 18+ years; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Arrested 4/16" />
 <figcaption>Joshua Shane Linville, Distribute/poss w/int to distribute/manufacture paraph except 21-5706(b); Distribute certain depressant; Dose 10 - &lt;100 units in 1000' school; Possession of marijuana; Failure to wear seatbelt; 18+ years; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Arrested 4/16</figcaption>
 </figure>Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Geary County Booking Photos April 16

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting and have a suspect in custody.

Just before midnight Friday, police responded to report of gunshots in the area of the 700 Block . of SW Taylor Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.&nbsp;

First responders found three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. Two of these victims’ injuries were considered non-life threatening. One of the victim’s injuries was considered life-threatening. All three were transported to a local area hospital.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested Marcus D. Kindle, 42, of Topeka on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Possession of Marijuana, according to Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681650123035.png" alt="Kindle-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kindle-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting and have a suspect in custody.Just before midnight Friday, police responded to report of gunshots in the area of the 700 Block . of SW Taylor Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.&nbsp;First responders found three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. Two of these victims’ injuries were considered non-life threatening. One of the victim’s injuries was considered life-threatening. All three were transported to a local area hospital.As a result of the investigation, police arrested Marcus D. Kindle, 42, of Topeka on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Possession of Marijuana, according to Stanley.

Kan. man accused in shooting that sent three to the hospital

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman in custody at the Riley County Jail.

Just before 8:30a.m Saturday, Laura Pearce, 38, Manhattan, was found unresponsive in her single cell by Corrections Officers who immediately began lifesaving measures, according to a media release from the RCPD.

Riley County EMS was dispatched at 8:26 a.m. and arrived at 8:32 a.m. After lifesaving measures were continued by paramedics, Pearce was pronounced dead on scene at 8:52 a.m.

The&nbsp; RCPD is actively working with the KBI to provide all the information they need for a thorough investigation.&nbsp;At this time, officials believe the death was caused by suicide. No evidence of foul play has been found at this time, according to the release.

Per state statute, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) will be the lead agency investigating&nbsp;the death.

Pearce was extradited to the Riley County Jail on March 25, 2023, after being arrested in Marion County, Ohio on her Riley County District Court warrant for aggravated interference with parental custody.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman in custody at the Riley County Jail.Just before 8:30a.m Saturday, Laura Pearce, 38, Manhattan, was found unresponsive in her single cell by Corrections Officers who immediately began lifesaving measures, according to a media release from the RCPD.Riley County EMS was dispatched at 8:26 a.m. and arrived at 8:32 a.m. After lifesaving measures were continued by paramedics, Pearce was pronounced dead on scene at 8:52 a.m.The&nbsp; RCPD is actively working with the KBI to provide all the information they need for a thorough investigation.&nbsp;At this time, officials believe the death was caused by suicide. No evidence of foul play has been found at this time, according to the release.Per state statute, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) will be the lead agency investigating&nbsp;the death.Pearce was extradited to the Riley County Jail on March 25, 2023, after being arrested in Marion County, Ohio on her Riley County District Court warrant for aggravated interference with parental custody.

RCPD investigating death of 38-year-old inmate

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a crime spree in February.

According to police spokesman Officer Chad Ditch, 7 officers and 2 sergeants from Patrol West in Wichita coordinated 9 cases, 4 victims and 9 witnesses from a crime spree that occurred on Feb 21.

The larceny investigation led to the arrest of 49-year-old Harold Deloach and 39-year-old Princess Karibo on the requested charges of Burglary to Auto, Unlawful Use of a Financial Card, Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia/

This case has been presented to the District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681409703672.png" alt="Deloach-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Deloach-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a crime spree in February.According to police spokesman Officer Chad Ditch, 7 officers and 2 sergeants from Patrol West in Wichita coordinated 9 cases, 4 victims and 9 witnesses from a crime spree that occurred on Feb 21.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681409536968.png" alt="Karibo-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Karibo-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The larceny investigation led to the arrest of 49-year-old Harold Deloach and 39-year-old Princess Karibo on the requested charges of Burglary to Auto, Unlawful Use of a Financial Card, Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia/This case has been presented to the District Attorney’s Office.

Police: Suspects in Kansas crime spree face felony charges

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Top Republican hopefuls for the 2024 presidential race vowed Friday at the National Rifle Association's annual convention to defend the Second Amendment at all costs, suggesting that new firearms restrictions in the wake of mass shootings around the country would only hurt law-abiding gun owners.

The three-day gathering with thousands of the organization’s most active members at Indianapolis’ convention center came mere days after mass shootings at a school in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">Nashville</a>&nbsp;and a bank in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisville-bank-shooting-9826ea39f24ff9dcf3cb5390c04be47b">Louisville</a>, Kentucky. Last year's NRA convention followed the massacre at a school in Uvalde, Texas.

That illustrated the stark reality that such shootings have become enough of the fabric of American life that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-nra-convention-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">the NRA can no longer schedule around them</a>. Nor does it really want to: The convention also fell on the second anniversary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fedex-indianapolis-mass-shooting-e92ad3117c56357b3b2c71a2903e68a8">mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed nine people.

None of that stopped top Republicans from flocking to the event, underscoring the political power of the NRA.

“Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association, and all of our millions of members, can do to their political careers,” said NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, suggesting that his group could play a dominant role in the 2024 election after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-gun-politics-barack-obama-houston-violence-62765e5b208e74c0b109678bb46d31ed">turmoil in recent years</a>&nbsp;over a failed bankruptcy effort, a class action lawsuit and a fraud investigation.

Instead of fewer guns, former Vice President Mike Pence called for federal funding for armed school officers and more institutions for the mentally ill, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-shootings-health-donald-trump-crime-b8ce29d88543479bbd4894f5a39cc686">mental illness is not the main driver of mass shootings</a>. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had resisted implementing any gun restrictions in his state despite that stance being unpopular.

Former President Donald Trump crowned himself as “the most pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment president” in the nation’s history. “I will be your loyal friend and fearless champion once again as the 47th president of the United States,” he told the crowd, pledging to create a new tax credit to reimburse teachers “for the full cost of a concealed-carry firearm,” as well as gun training “from highly-qualified experts.”

Some of the Republican politicians speaking at the event said they were saddened by the recent shootings, but most spent more time criticizing Democrats, slamming COVID-19 restrictions and vaccines, and discussing security along the U.S.-Mexico border. That was fine with many attendees, who don't think gun restrictions are the answer to mass shootings.

“No one wants to see the violence you see in schools and stuff today,” said Randy Conner, a pistol and rifle instructor for the NRA from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. “But I don’t think taking the guns away from ordinary citizens is going to change any of that at all.”

Trump's appearance was his first public event since being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,his%20first%20White%20House%20campaign.">arrested and arraigned in New York last week</a>&nbsp;on felony charges stemming from a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. His Secret Service protection meant attendees couldn't carry guns at the convention.

The former president made a few references to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b">numerous investigations he's facing</a>. Instead of the government going after hardened criminals, he complained, “The only one they want to prosecute is Donald Trump.”

Friday's appearance was the first time he and Pence have addressed the same campaign event on the same day since their estrangement following the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>. Pence is considering his own 2024 bid.

A former Indiana governor, Pence drew scattered boos as he started speaking, despite it being his home turf. The former vice president had skipped a number of conservative gatherings in recent years after he was booed and heckled during their previous meetings.

Taking the stage later, Trump said sarcastically that he hoped the crowd had given his former vice president a warm introduction.

Pence noted the two recent mass shootings and said his heart and prayers were with the families of the victims, who included three 9-year-old students. But he said, “We don’t need gun control. We need crime control.”

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Trump critic who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asa-hutchinson-president-2024-election-3a55855b1914d6e61338d1c8576a817f">announced his 2024 campaign</a>&nbsp;after news of the former president's indictment broke, drew at least one yelled obscenity from the Trump-friendly crowd after he suggested President Joe Biden was "praying” for a rematch with Trump in 2024 and declared, “We don’t need a rerun of 2020."

Others offering video messages were former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-running-for-president-f28052019e8ac3846cd125b3d9614d4f">began her 2024 campaign in February</a>, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/exploratory-committee-president-tim-scott-2024-b129664cb44862100e43e2930e75efb3">presidential exploratory committee</a>&nbsp;this week. DeSantis, seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">top rival to Trump</a>&nbsp;even though he’s yet to jump into the race, also spoke briefly in virtual remarks.

“I’ve resisted calls to take up gun control, even when such a stand is superficially unpopular,” DeSantis said, a reference to calls for stricter Florida laws in the wake of the 2018 Parkland school shooting that killed 17 people.

Pain over the Louisville and Nashville shooting rampages has crossed party lines. Kentucky Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-covid-kentucky-steve-beshear-e6dd4d00c92502d4814451d6e9995ed8">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;talked about having a friend killed in the Louisville shooting, while Republican Tennessee Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-covid-6e6d211ca65d625eef90d91ee8f4567d">Bill Lee</a>&nbsp;said he had friends killed during the Nashville school attack.

Yet the NRA convention's tone was as defiant as last year, when the group held its convention in Houston just three days after the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school.

Further overlapping with recent tragedy, Pence and some of the other speakers were following up their NRA speeches by traveling to Nashville to meet with top GOP donors gathered there.

“Every significant national Republican, every Republican that’s thrown their hat in the ring to run for president, is showing up this weekend to pledge their undying loyalty to the NRA and the gun lobby,” said Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who championed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">bipartisan legislation</a>&nbsp;that passed last year and imposed some new federal gun restrictions after the Uvalde shooting. “Our kids are being hunted, and the NRA’s business model is to give aid to the hunters.”

Indeed, support for gun rights among Republican voters remains higher than for voters overall. Some 56% of voters in last fall’s midterm elections said they want to see stricter nationwide gun laws, compared with just 28% of Republicans, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate. About half of Republicans said gun laws should be left as they are.

Trump, meanwhile, has a contradictory history on guns.

The NRA was a key backer of his 2016 campaign, spending some $30 million to support a candidate who sometimes mentioned carrying his own gun and vowed to eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. Trump also pledged to establish a national right to carry.

But, as the country reeled from a series of mass shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">Trump’s administration banned bump stocks</a>, which were used in a 2017 attack on a Las Vegas country music concert that killed 60 people and injured hundreds more. After the Parkland school shooting in Florida the following year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-donald-trump-violence-gun-politics-politics-75db363bc4fb4779b92d4582f5d5bb70">Trump urged congressional Republicans to expand background checks</a>&nbsp;and proposed seizing guns from mentally ill people.

He also suggested raising the minimum age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21, and suggested he was open to a conversation about reviving assault weapons bans. After later meeting with the NRA, however, Trump abandoned his push.

Friday's convention largely belonged to Trump, who drew the loudest cheers from the crowd.

Donna Alberts, who traveled around 600 miles (965 kilometers) from Greenbriar, Arkansas, for the convention, said nothing could sway her vote for Trump in 2024.

“He’s a good man," Alberts said, “and he does what he says he’s going to do, and he loves this country.”

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Top Republican hopefuls for the 2024 presidential race vowed Friday at the National Rifle Association's annual convention to defend the Second Amendment at all costs, suggesting that new firearms restrictions in the wake of mass shootings around the country would only hurt law-abiding gun owners.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“If we can send 120 billion dollars to Ukraine, then we can afford 1/10th of that amount to protect American children in American schools.” - <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NRAConvention?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NRAConvention</a> <a href="https://t.co/uOL7xC9GNs">pic.twitter.com/uOL7xC9GNs</a>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1647040792853196801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The three-day gathering with thousands of the organization’s most active members at Indianapolis’ convention center came mere days after mass shootings at a school in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">Nashville</a>&nbsp;and a bank in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisville-bank-shooting-9826ea39f24ff9dcf3cb5390c04be47b">Louisville</a>, Kentucky. Last year's NRA convention followed the massacre at a school in Uvalde, Texas.That illustrated the stark reality that such shootings have become enough of the fabric of American life that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-nra-convention-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">the NRA can no longer schedule around them</a>. Nor does it really want to: The convention also fell on the second anniversary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fedex-indianapolis-mass-shooting-e92ad3117c56357b3b2c71a2903e68a8">mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed nine people.None of that stopped top Republicans from flocking to the event, underscoring the political power of the NRA.“Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association, and all of our millions of members, can do to their political careers,” said NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, suggesting that his group could play a dominant role in the 2024 election after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-gun-politics-barack-obama-houston-violence-62765e5b208e74c0b109678bb46d31ed">turmoil in recent years</a>&nbsp;over a failed bankruptcy effort, a class action lawsuit and a fraud investigation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NRA Life Member Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/m9RqcEzOpw">pic.twitter.com/m9RqcEzOpw</a>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1646990622794940419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Instead of fewer guns, former Vice President Mike Pence called for federal funding for armed school officers and more institutions for the mentally ill, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-shootings-health-donald-trump-crime-b8ce29d88543479bbd4894f5a39cc686">mental illness is not the main driver of mass shootings</a>. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had resisted implementing any gun restrictions in his state despite that stance being unpopular.Former President Donald Trump crowned himself as “the most pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment president” in the nation’s history. “I will be your loyal friend and fearless champion once again as the 47th president of the United States,” he told the crowd, pledging to create a new tax credit to reimburse teachers “for the full cost of a concealed-carry firearm,” as well as gun training “from highly-qualified experts.”Some of the Republican politicians speaking at the event said they were saddened by the recent shootings, but most spent more time criticizing Democrats, slamming COVID-19 restrictions and vaccines, and discussing security along the U.S.-Mexico border. That was fine with many attendees, who don't think gun restrictions are the answer to mass shootings.“No one wants to see the violence you see in schools and stuff today,” said Randy Conner, a pistol and rifle instructor for the NRA from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. “But I don’t think taking the guns away from ordinary citizens is going to change any of that at all.”Trump's appearance was his first public event since being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,his%20first%20White%20House%20campaign.">arrested and arraigned in New York last week</a>&nbsp;on felony charges stemming from a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. His Secret Service protection meant attendees couldn't carry guns at the convention.The former president made a few references to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b">numerous investigations he's facing</a>. Instead of the government going after hardened criminals, he complained, “The only one they want to prosecute is Donald Trump.”Friday's appearance was the first time he and Pence have addressed the same campaign event on the same day since their estrangement following the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>. Pence is considering his own 2024 bid.A former Indiana governor, Pence drew scattered boos as he started speaking, despite it being his home turf. The former vice president had skipped a number of conservative gatherings in recent years after he was booed and heckled during their previous meetings.Taking the stage later, Trump said sarcastically that he hoped the crowd had given his former vice president a warm introduction.Pence noted the two recent mass shootings and said his heart and prayers were with the families of the victims, who included three 9-year-old students. But he said, “We don’t need gun control. We need crime control.”Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Trump critic who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asa-hutchinson-president-2024-election-3a55855b1914d6e61338d1c8576a817f">announced his 2024 campaign</a>&nbsp;after news of the former president's indictment broke, drew at least one yelled obscenity from the Trump-friendly crowd after he suggested President Joe Biden was "praying” for a rematch with Trump in 2024 and declared, “We don’t need a rerun of 2020."Others offering video messages were former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-running-for-president-f28052019e8ac3846cd125b3d9614d4f">began her 2024 campaign in February</a>, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/exploratory-committee-president-tim-scott-2024-b129664cb44862100e43e2930e75efb3">presidential exploratory committee</a>&nbsp;this week. DeSantis, seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">top rival to Trump</a>&nbsp;even though he’s yet to jump into the race, also spoke briefly in virtual remarks.“I’ve resisted calls to take up gun control, even when such a stand is superficially unpopular,” DeSantis said, a reference to calls for stricter Florida laws in the wake of the 2018 Parkland school shooting that killed 17 people.Pain over the Louisville and Nashville shooting rampages has crossed party lines. Kentucky Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-covid-kentucky-steve-beshear-e6dd4d00c92502d4814451d6e9995ed8">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;talked about having a friend killed in the Louisville shooting, while Republican Tennessee Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-covid-6e6d211ca65d625eef90d91ee8f4567d">Bill Lee</a>&nbsp;said he had friends killed during the Nashville school attack.Yet the NRA convention's tone was as defiant as last year, when the group held its convention in Houston just three days after the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school.Further overlapping with recent tragedy, Pence and some of the other speakers were following up their NRA speeches by traveling to Nashville to meet with top GOP donors gathered there.“Every significant national Republican, every Republican that’s thrown their hat in the ring to run for president, is showing up this weekend to pledge their undying loyalty to the NRA and the gun lobby,” said Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who championed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">bipartisan legislation</a>&nbsp;that passed last year and imposed some new federal gun restrictions after the Uvalde shooting. “Our kids are being hunted, and the NRA’s business model is to give aid to the hunters.”Indeed, support for gun rights among Republican voters remains higher than for voters overall. Some 56% of voters in last fall’s midterm elections said they want to see stricter nationwide gun laws, compared with just 28% of Republicans, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate. About half of Republicans said gun laws should be left as they are.Trump, meanwhile, has a contradictory history on guns.The NRA was a key backer of his 2016 campaign, spending some $30 million to support a candidate who sometimes mentioned carrying his own gun and vowed to eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. Trump also pledged to establish a national right to carry.But, as the country reeled from a series of mass shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">Trump’s administration banned bump stocks</a>, which were used in a 2017 attack on a Las Vegas country music concert that killed 60 people and injured hundreds more. After the Parkland school shooting in Florida the following year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-donald-trump-violence-gun-politics-politics-75db363bc4fb4779b92d4582f5d5bb70">Trump urged congressional Republicans to expand background checks</a>&nbsp;and proposed seizing guns from mentally ill people.He also suggested raising the minimum age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21, and suggested he was open to a conversation about reviving assault weapons bans. After later meeting with the NRA, however, Trump abandoned his push.Friday's convention largely belonged to Trump, who drew the loudest cheers from the crowd.Donna Alberts, who traveled around 600 miles (965 kilometers) from Greenbriar, Arkansas, for the convention, said nothing could sway her vote for Trump in 2024.“He’s a good man," Alberts said, “and he does what he says he’s going to do, and he loves this country.”___

Trump tells NRA he's the most pro-gun president in history

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681568764710.jpeg" alt="Brad Wayne Briand, Probation Violation; Arrested 04/14" />
 <figcaption>Brad Wayne Briand, Probation Violation; Arrested 04/14</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681568833235.jpeg" alt="Joseph Brock Fourth, Aggravated domestic battery, choke in rude manner, family member/dating relationship; Domestic battery; unknown circumstance; Criminal Damage to property; Misdemeanor; Criminal Restraint; Arrested 04/14" />
 <figcaption>Joseph Brock Fourth, Aggravated domestic battery, choke in rude manner, family member/dating relationship; Domestic battery; unknown circumstance; Criminal Damage to property; Misdemeanor; Criminal Restraint; Arrested 04/14</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681568949660.jpeg" alt="Nicole Marie Fambro, Domestic Battery; Arrested 04/14" />
 <figcaption>Nicole Marie Fambro, Domestic Battery; Arrested 04/14</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681569026210.jpeg" alt="John Christopher Herrera, Probation Violation; Arrested 04/14&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>John Christopher Herrera, Probation Violation; Arrested 04/14&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681569140449.jpeg" alt="Jamie Lee Ray, Probation Violation; Arrested 04/14" />
 <figcaption>Jamie Lee Ray, Probation Violation; Arrested 04/14</figcaption>
 </figure>Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Geary County Booking Photos April 15

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a high-speed chase.

On Thursday, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit attempted to initiate a traffic stop near just before the Waverly exit on Interstate 35&nbsp; for an alleged traffic violation. The driver later identified as 42-year-old Kansas felon Terrance of Shawnee failed to stop, and a pursuit began.

The pursuit traveled mainly through rural areas of Coffey and into Anderson County. The vehicle pursuit ended when the suspect traveled down a dead end road. The driver then eluded law enforcement on foot before being located.

Wade was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Flee or attempting to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer; use of a deadly weapon, Interference with law enforcement, a&nbsp;Jackson County, Missouri warrant, Shawnee County, and Kansas probation violation felony warrant. He has previous drug convictions in Wyandotte County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Coffey County Sheriff's Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Garnett Police Department, Garnett Rural Fire Department, Anderson County EMS, Anderson County Emergency Management, and Kansas Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681469136829.png" alt="Wade has previous drug convictions, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-photo from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Wade has previous drug convictions, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-photo from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a high-speed chase.On Thursday, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit attempted to initiate a traffic stop near just before the Waverly exit on Interstate 35&nbsp; for an alleged traffic violation. The driver later identified as 42-year-old Kansas felon Terrance of Shawnee failed to stop, and a pursuit began.The pursuit traveled mainly through rural areas of Coffey and into Anderson County. The vehicle pursuit ended when the suspect traveled down a dead end road. The driver then eluded law enforcement on foot before being located.Wade was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Flee or attempting to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer; use of a deadly weapon, Interference with law enforcement, a&nbsp;Jackson County, Missouri warrant, Shawnee County, and Kansas probation violation felony warrant. He has previous drug convictions in Wyandotte County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681488138774.png" alt="Wade-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Wade-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Osage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Coffey County Sheriff's Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Garnett Police Department, Garnett Rural Fire Department, Anderson County EMS, Anderson County Emergency Management, and Kansas Highway Patrol.

Wanted Kansas felon captured after 3-county chase

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Last year it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde</a>. Now it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">Nashville</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisville-bank-shooting-9826ea39f24ff9dcf3cb5390c04be47b">Louisville</a>. For the second year in a row, the National Rifle Association is holding its annual convention within days of mass shootings that shook the nation.

The three-day gathering kicked off Friday with thousands of the organization’s most active members at Indianapolis’ convention center attracting a bevy of top Republican presidential candidates — enough that it could help shape the early part of next year’s GOP primary race.

It illustrates the stark reality that such shootings have become enough of the fabric of American life that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-nra-convention-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">the NRA can no longer schedule around them</a>. Nor does it really want to: The convention falls on the second anniversary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fedex-indianapolis-mass-shooting-e92ad3117c56357b3b2c71a2903e68a8">mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed nine people.

In brief remarks, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre didn’t mention the recent mass shootings.

“Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association and all of our millions of members can do to their political careers,” LaPierre said.

But Randy Conner, a pistol and rifle instructor for the NRA from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, expressed the sentiment of many attendees when he said in an interview that blaming firearms for mass shootings is misguided: “A gun is not dangerous until somebody picks it up,” he said.

“No one wants to see the violence you see in schools and stuff today,” Conner said. “But I don’t think taking the guns away from ordinary citizens is going to change any of that at all.”

Former President Donald Trump will be speaking at the gathering, his first public appearance since being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,his%20first%20White%20House%20campaign.">arrested and arraigned in New York last week</a>&nbsp;on felony charges stemming from a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. His Secret Service protection means attendees can't have guns at the convention.

Also speaking Friday was Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-republican-2024-election-ffc7babf74068ab6071a19e897e780b9">considering his own 2024 White House bid</a>&nbsp;— the first time they have addressed the same campaign event on the same day since their estrangement following the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>.

Pence, who was met by scattered boos before his NRA speech, has skipped a number of conservative gatherings in recent years, including the Conservative Political Action Conference as well as the Faith &amp; Freedom Coalition’s annual gathering after he was booed and heckled there in 2021.

The former vice president noted shootings at a Louisville, Kentucky, bank that killed five people this week and at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27 that killed three 9-year-olds and three staff members. But he said, “We don’t need gun control. We need crime control.”

“We don’t need lectures about the liberties of law-abiding citizens," Pence said. “We need solutions to protect our kids.”

Instead of fewer guns, Pence called for more institutions for the mentally ill and federal funding for armed school officers. He also called for a federal death penalty statute with expedited appeal to punish the perpetrators of mass shootings more quickly.

“To Joe Biden and the gun control extremists, I say: Give up on your pipe dreams of gun confiscation. Stop endangering our lives with gun bans," Pence said.

Two GOP Trump critics — former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asa-hutchinson-president-2024-election-3a55855b1914d6e61338d1c8576a817f">announced his 2024 campaign</a>&nbsp;after news of the former president's indictment broke, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who may launch his own White House bid — are also speaking.

Offering video messages are former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-running-for-president-f28052019e8ac3846cd125b3d9614d4f">began her 2024 campaign in February</a>; South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/exploratory-committee-president-tim-scott-2024-b129664cb44862100e43e2930e75efb3">presidential exploratory committee</a>&nbsp;this week, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">top rival to Trump</a>&nbsp;even though he’s yet to jump into the race.

The NRA convention's tone was as defiant as last year, when the group held its convention in Houston just three days after the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school across Texas in the town of Uvalde.

Further overlapping with recent tragedy, Pence and some of the other speakers plan to follow up their NRA speeches by traveling to Nashville to meet with top GOP donors gathered there.

Indeed, support for gun rights among Republican voters remains higher than for voters overall. Some 56% of voters in last fall’s midterm elections said they want to see stricter nationwide gun laws, compared with just 28% of Republicans, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate.

About half of Republicans said gun laws should be left as they are.

Also on display Friday was the resurgence of the NRA and the key role it is poised to play in next year's presidential race — in a stark departure from 2020. Back then, the organization was trying to regroup and saw its membership and political spending decline following serious legal and financial turmoil — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nra-bankruptcy-dismissed-a281b888b64d391374f24539a820d60f">a failed bankruptcy effort</a>, a class action lawsuit and a fraud investigation.

Trump, meanwhile, has a contradictory history on guns. The NRA was a key backer of his 2016 campaign, spending some $30 million to support a candidate who sometimes mentioned carrying his own gun and vowed to eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. Trump also pledged to establish a national right to carry.

But, as the country reeled from a series of mass shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">Trump’s administration banned bump stocks</a>, which were used in a 2017 attack on a Las Vegas country music concert that killed 60 people. After the Parkland school shooting in Florida the following year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-donald-trump-violence-gun-politics-politics-75db363bc4fb4779b92d4582f5d5bb70">Trump urged congressional Republicans to expand background checks</a>&nbsp;and proposed seizing guns from mentally ill people.

He also suggested raising the minimum age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21, and suggested he was open to a conversation about reviving assault weapons bans. After later meeting with the NRA, however, Trump abandoned his push, instead focusing on arming teachers and making schools more secure.

Gun rights advocates continue to celebrate&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Americans%20have%20a%20right%20to%20carry%20firearms%20in%20public%20for%20self-defense">a Supreme Court decision last June</a>&nbsp;that said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense</a>. That opened the door to a wave of challenges to firearm restrictions across the country by changing the test that lower courts had long used for evaluating challenges to firearm restrictions.

Amid upheaval in the wake of the ruling, courts have declared unconstitutional laws including federal measures designed to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and defendants under felony indictment, as well as a ban on possessing guns with the serial number removed. Courts are also considering challenges to state bans on AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles.

Attempting to counter gun rights advocates has been an ascendant gun safety movement that has poured tens of millions of dollars into political campaigns. That includes Moms Demand Action, which was among a coalition of groups that derided Friday’s speeches as “a cattle call of far-right" presidential candidates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681497492227.png" alt="The NRA calls the convention “one of the most politically significant and popular events in the country, featuring our nation’s top Second Amendment leaders.-image courtesy NRA" />
 <figcaption>The NRA calls the convention “one of the most politically significant and popular events in the country, featuring our nation’s top Second Amendment leaders.-image courtesy NRA</figcaption>
 </figure>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Last year it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde</a>. Now it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">Nashville</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisville-bank-shooting-9826ea39f24ff9dcf3cb5390c04be47b">Louisville</a>. For the second year in a row, the National Rifle Association is holding its annual convention within days of mass shootings that shook the nation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former Vice President and Indiana Governor closes out his speech STRONG at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NRAConvention?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NRAConvention</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ge7f1H8l3A">pic.twitter.com/Ge7f1H8l3A</a>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1646949679492374564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The three-day gathering kicked off Friday with thousands of the organization’s most active members at Indianapolis’ convention center attracting a bevy of top Republican presidential candidates — enough that it could help shape the early part of next year’s GOP primary race.It illustrates the stark reality that such shootings have become enough of the fabric of American life that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-nra-convention-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">the NRA can no longer schedule around them</a>. Nor does it really want to: The convention falls on the second anniversary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fedex-indianapolis-mass-shooting-e92ad3117c56357b3b2c71a2903e68a8">mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed nine people.In brief remarks, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre didn’t mention the recent mass shootings.“Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association and all of our millions of members can do to their political careers,” LaPierre said.But Randy Conner, a pistol and rifle instructor for the NRA from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, expressed the sentiment of many attendees when he said in an interview that blaming firearms for mass shootings is misguided: “A gun is not dangerous until somebody picks it up,” he said.“No one wants to see the violence you see in schools and stuff today,” Conner said. “But I don’t think taking the guns away from ordinary citizens is going to change any of that at all.”Former President Donald Trump will be speaking at the gathering, his first public appearance since being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,his%20first%20White%20House%20campaign.">arrested and arraigned in New York last week</a>&nbsp;on felony charges stemming from a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. His Secret Service protection means attendees can't have guns at the convention.Also speaking Friday was Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-republican-2024-election-ffc7babf74068ab6071a19e897e780b9">considering his own 2024 White House bid</a>&nbsp;— the first time they have addressed the same campaign event on the same day since their estrangement following the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>.Pence, who was met by scattered boos before his NRA speech, has skipped a number of conservative gatherings in recent years, including the Conservative Political Action Conference as well as the Faith &amp; Freedom Coalition’s annual gathering after he was booed and heckled there in 2021.The former vice president noted shootings at a Louisville, Kentucky, bank that killed five people this week and at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27 that killed three 9-year-olds and three staff members. But he said, “We don’t need gun control. We need crime control.”“We don’t need lectures about the liberties of law-abiding citizens," Pence said. “We need solutions to protect our kids.”Instead of fewer guns, Pence called for more institutions for the mentally ill and federal funding for armed school officers. He also called for a federal death penalty statute with expedited appeal to punish the perpetrators of mass shootings more quickly.“To Joe Biden and the gun control extremists, I say: Give up on your pipe dreams of gun confiscation. Stop endangering our lives with gun bans," Pence said.Two GOP Trump critics — former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asa-hutchinson-president-2024-election-3a55855b1914d6e61338d1c8576a817f">announced his 2024 campaign</a>&nbsp;after news of the former president's indictment broke, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who may launch his own White House bid — are also speaking.Offering video messages are former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-running-for-president-f28052019e8ac3846cd125b3d9614d4f">began her 2024 campaign in February</a>; South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/exploratory-committee-president-tim-scott-2024-b129664cb44862100e43e2930e75efb3">presidential exploratory committee</a>&nbsp;this week, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">top rival to Trump</a>&nbsp;even though he’s yet to jump into the race.Pain over the Louisville and Nashville shooting rampages has crossed party lines. Kentucky Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-covid-kentucky-steve-beshear-e6dd4d00c92502d4814451d6e9995ed8">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;talked about having a friend killed in the Louisville shooting, while Republican Tennessee Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-covid-6e6d211ca65d625eef90d91ee8f4567d">Bill Lee</a>&nbsp;said he had friends killed during the Nashville school attack.The NRA convention's tone was as defiant as last year, when the group held its convention in Houston just three days after the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school across Texas in the town of Uvalde.Further overlapping with recent tragedy, Pence and some of the other speakers plan to follow up their NRA speeches by traveling to Nashville to meet with top GOP donors gathered there.“Every significant national Republican, every Republican that’s thrown their hat in the ring to run for president, is showing up this weekend to pledge their undying loyalty to the NRA and the gun lobby,” said Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who championed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">bipartisan legislation</a>&nbsp;that passed last year and imposed some new federal gun restrictions after the Uvalde shooting. “Our kids are being hunted, and the NRA’s business model is to give aid to the hunters.”Indeed, support for gun rights among Republican voters remains higher than for voters overall. Some 56% of voters in last fall’s midterm elections said they want to see stricter nationwide gun laws, compared with just 28% of Republicans, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate.About half of Republicans said gun laws should be left as they are.Also on display Friday was the resurgence of the NRA and the key role it is poised to play in next year's presidential race — in a stark departure from 2020. Back then, the organization was trying to regroup and saw its membership and political spending decline following serious legal and financial turmoil — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nra-bankruptcy-dismissed-a281b888b64d391374f24539a820d60f">a failed bankruptcy effort</a>, a class action lawsuit and a fraud investigation.Trump, meanwhile, has a contradictory history on guns. The NRA was a key backer of his 2016 campaign, spending some $30 million to support a candidate who sometimes mentioned carrying his own gun and vowed to eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. Trump also pledged to establish a national right to carry.But, as the country reeled from a series of mass shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">Trump’s administration banned bump stocks</a>, which were used in a 2017 attack on a Las Vegas country music concert that killed 60 people. After the Parkland school shooting in Florida the following year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-donald-trump-violence-gun-politics-politics-75db363bc4fb4779b92d4582f5d5bb70">Trump urged congressional Republicans to expand background checks</a>&nbsp;and proposed seizing guns from mentally ill people.He also suggested raising the minimum age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21, and suggested he was open to a conversation about reviving assault weapons bans. After later meeting with the NRA, however, Trump abandoned his push, instead focusing on arming teachers and making schools more secure.Donna Alberts, who traveled around 600 miles (965 kilometers) from Greenbriar, Arkansas, for the convention, said nothing could sway her vote for Trump in 2024.“He’s a good man," Alberts said, “and he does what he says he’s going to do, and he loves this country.”Gun rights advocates continue to celebrate&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Americans%20have%20a%20right%20to%20carry%20firearms%20in%20public%20for%20self-defense">a Supreme Court decision last June</a>&nbsp;that said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense</a>. That opened the door to a wave of challenges to firearm restrictions across the country by changing the test that lower courts had long used for evaluating challenges to firearm restrictions.Amid upheaval in the wake of the ruling, courts have declared unconstitutional laws including federal measures designed to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and defendants under felony indictment, as well as a ban on possessing guns with the serial number removed. Courts are also considering challenges to state bans on AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles.Attempting to counter gun rights advocates has been an ascendant gun safety movement that has poured tens of millions of dollars into political campaigns. That includes Moms Demand Action, which was among a coalition of groups that derided Friday’s speeches as “a cattle call of far-right" presidential candidates.___

NRA convention draws top GOP 2024 hopefuls after shootings

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a domestic incident.

Just after 9a.m. Thursday, officers conducted a search warrant at a home in the 3300 block of Woods Drive in Manhattan, according to the Riley County&nbsp; Police Department activity report.

&nbsp;Officers arrested James Watkins, 41, Manhattan, in connection to multiple occasions of domestic battery and threats to a 35-year-old woman known to him, violation of a protection order, and a March 28 altercation where it was reported he allegedly hit the woman, took her phone and would not let her leave for several hours. 

Watkins is being held on requested charges of interference with LEO due to his being uncooperative during the search warrant, four counts of aggravated intimidation of a victim, two counts of interference with LEO, and one count each of intimidation of a victim, robbery, criminal deprivation of property, criminal restraint, domestic battery, criminal threat, aggravated battery and violation of a protection order, according to the RCPD. 

He remains confined in the Riley County Jai with a total bond of $86,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681482339178.png" alt="photo courtesy RCPD" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy RCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a domestic incident.Just after 9a.m. Thursday, officers conducted a search warrant at a home in the 3300 block of Woods Drive in Manhattan, according to the Riley County&nbsp; Police Department activity report.&nbsp;Officers arrested James Watkins, 41, Manhattan, in connection to multiple occasions of domestic battery and threats to a 35-year-old woman known to him, violation of a protection order, and a March 28 altercation where it was reported he allegedly hit the woman, took her phone and would not let her leave for several hours. Watkins is being held on requested charges of interference with LEO due to his being uncooperative during the search warrant, four counts of aggravated intimidation of a victim, two counts of interference with LEO, and one count each of intimidation of a victim, robbery, criminal deprivation of property, criminal restraint, domestic battery, criminal threat, aggravated battery and violation of a protection order, according to the RCPD. He remains confined in the Riley County Jai with a total bond of $86,000.

Manhattan man jailed after alleged incidents of domestic violence

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681479164437.jpeg" alt="Michael Chavez, Murder in the 2nd degree; Intentional; Arrested 04/13" />
 <figcaption>Michael Chavez, Murder in the 2nd degree; Intentional; Arrested 04/13</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681479388189.jpeg" alt="Jayson Wayne Cynova, Criminal Trespass; Arrested 4/14" />
 <figcaption>Jayson Wayne Cynova, Criminal Trespass; Arrested 4/14</figcaption>
 </figure>Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Geary County Booking Photos April 14

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas violent offender arrested in connection with a Texas murder investigation made a court appearance in Wichita Wednesday.

Derek Daigneault, 27, is charged with 3 counts of flee or attempt to elude, aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of THC, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.

Just after 7 p.m. April 8, Police in Wichita began a pursuit with a vehicle driven by Daigneault after it was detected&nbsp; the WPD FLOCK system.&nbsp; Daigneault refused to stop and crashed into several at the intersection of 13th and Tyler. There were no injuries.

In addition to charges in Sedgwick County, Daigneault is being held for another agency. Officials in Texas have not confirmed possible charges he faces there.

He has been listed as a Registered Violent Offender since 2013 for convictions that include aggravated robbery, burglary and a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Kansas Offender Registry.

He is being held in Sedgwick County of a bond at $100,000, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681216750585.png" alt="Daigneault-photo Sedgwick County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Daigneault-photo Sedgwick County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas violent offender arrested in connection with a Texas murder investigation made a court appearance in Wichita Wednesday.Derek Daigneault, 27, is charged with 3 counts of flee or attempt to elude, aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of THC, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.Just after 7 p.m. April 8, Police in Wichita began a pursuit with a vehicle driven by Daigneault after it was detected&nbsp; the WPD FLOCK system.&nbsp; Daigneault refused to stop and crashed into several at the intersection of 13th and Tyler. There were no injuries.In addition to charges in Sedgwick County, Daigneault is being held for another agency. Officials in Texas have not confirmed possible charges he faces there.He has been listed as a Registered Violent Offender since 2013 for convictions that include aggravated robbery, burglary and a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Kansas Offender Registry.He is being held in Sedgwick County of a bond at $100,000, according to the district attorney's office.

Violent Kansas offender charged after chase, crash

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681421603380.jpeg" alt="George Henry McLean, Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of controlled substance; unknown substance; Arrested 4/12" />
 <figcaption>George Henry McLean, Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of controlled substance; unknown substance; Arrested 4/12</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681421942056.jpeg" alt="Shadale Marie Njau, Probation Violation; Arrested 4/12" />
 <figcaption>Shadale Marie Njau, Probation Violation; Arrested 4/12</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681422029206.jpeg" alt="Darren Lee Pinick, Failure to appear; Arrested 4/12" />
 <figcaption>Darren Lee Pinick, Failure to appear; Arrested 4/12</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681422223445.jpeg" alt="Melvin Lenzelle Sanford Second, Failure to appear x4; Outside warrant; Possession of controlled substance; unknown substance; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Arrested 4/13" />
 <figcaption>Melvin Lenzelle Sanford Second, Failure to appear x4; Outside warrant; Possession of controlled substance; unknown substance; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Arrested 4/13</figcaption>
 </figure>Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Geary County Booking Photos April 13

DENVER (AP) — A man accused of making a threatening phone call to the office of Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold last year has been convicted of one count of retaliation against an elected official, prosecutors said Thursday.

A jury deliberated for about three hours before finding Kirk Wertz, 52, guilty of the felony count on Wednesday, the Denver District Attorney's Office said.

Wertz&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-colorado-denver-21c9950a115a4dc146793f536c5cca2c">was accused of calling Griswold's office</a>&nbsp;on June 30, 2022, and asking the call-taker to tell Griswold, the state's top election official, that “the angel of death is coming for her in the name of Jesus Christ,” according to a court document explaining why he was arrested.

He was taken into custody in suburban Denver after investigators tracked his cell phone moving from Goodland, Kansas, to the Denver area, according to the document. When a trooper called Wertz back at the number he used to call Griswold's office, he would not say whether he planned to physically hurt Griswold.

Wertz asked the trooper if he knew about the First Amendment and also said, “And I’m an Oath Taker and an Oath Keeper and I owe you no explanation.” The document did not elaborate on whether Wertz was affiliated with the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group.

The details about what he said to the call-taker and the state trooper who called him back were redacted from the document at the time of his arrest but have since been made available.

Wertz is represented by public defenders, who do not comment on cases. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday.

Last year, a Nebraska man pleaded guilty in Denver federal court to making death threats to Griswold on social media. Officials said it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-colorado-denver-cf061ce08b08cff4d0ff168bd16afee2">the first such plea</a>&nbsp;obtained by a federal task force devoted to protecting elections workers across the U.S., who have been subject to increasing threats since the 2020 presidential election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681415099611.png" alt="Wertz-photo Denver District Attorney's Office" />
 <figcaption>Wertz-photo Denver District Attorney's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A man accused of making a threatening phone call to the office of Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold last year has been convicted of one count of retaliation against an elected official, prosecutors said Thursday.A jury deliberated for about three hours before finding Kirk Wertz, 52, guilty of the felony count on Wednesday, the Denver District Attorney's Office said.Wertz&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-colorado-denver-21c9950a115a4dc146793f536c5cca2c">was accused of calling Griswold's office</a>&nbsp;on June 30, 2022, and asking the call-taker to tell Griswold, the state's top election official, that “the angel of death is coming for her in the name of Jesus Christ,” according to a court document explaining why he was arrested.He was taken into custody in suburban Denver after investigators tracked his cell phone moving from Goodland, Kansas, to the Denver area, according to the document. When a trooper called Wertz back at the number he used to call Griswold's office, he would not say whether he planned to physically hurt Griswold.Wertz asked the trooper if he knew about the First Amendment and also said, “And I’m an Oath Taker and an Oath Keeper and I owe you no explanation.” The document did not elaborate on whether Wertz was affiliated with the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group.The details about what he said to the call-taker and the state trooper who called him back were redacted from the document at the time of his arrest but have since been made available.Wertz is represented by public defenders, who do not comment on cases. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday.Last year, a Nebraska man pleaded guilty in Denver federal court to making death threats to Griswold on social media. Officials said it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-colorado-denver-cf061ce08b08cff4d0ff168bd16afee2">the first such plea</a>&nbsp;obtained by a federal task force devoted to protecting elections workers across the U.S., who have been subject to increasing threats since the 2020 presidential election.

Man tracked to Kan. made threatening call to elections official

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Massachusetts Air National Guard member was arrested Thursday in connection with the disclosure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leaked-documents-russia-ukraine-pentagon-750fdefc8ece4a4d50647c1c60162145">highly classified military documents</a>&nbsp;about the Ukraine war and other top national security issues, an alarming breach that has raised fresh questions about America's ability to safeguard its most sensitive secrets.

The guardsman, an IT specialist identified as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, was taken into custody without incident after FBI officers converged on his Massachusetts home. He is to be charged under a provision of the Espionage Act that makes it a crime to remove or transmit classified national defense information, Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

Garland did not reveal a possible motive, but accounts of those in the online private chat room where the documents were disclosed have depicted Teixeira as motivated more by bravado than ideology.

While Thursday's arrest was a pivotal moment in an investigation into the highest-profile intelligence leak in years, the military and Justice Department were still scrutinizing how sensitive government secrets shared in a chat room ended up circulating around the world. The emergence of Teixeira as a primary suspect is bound to raise questions about how such a profound breach, one that the Pentagon termed a “very serious risk to national security,” could have been caused by such a young, low-ranking service member.

“We entrust our members with a lot of responsibility at a very early age. Think about a young combat platoon sergeant, and the responsibility and trust that we put into those individuals to lead troops into combat,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman. He referred all questions about the investigation to the Justice Department.

Teixeira was a “cyber transport systems specialist,” essentially an IT specialist responsible for military communications networks, including their cabling and hubs.

In that role Teixeira would have had a higher level of security clearance because he would have also been tasked with responsibility for ensuring protection for the networks, a defense official told the Associated Press, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Hours after the arrest, Rep. Mike Turner, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, issued a statement pledging to “examine why this happened, why it went unnoticed for weeks, and how to prevent future leaks.”

Teixeira, who was wearing a T-shirt and shorts at the time heavily armed tactical agents took him into custody, is due to have his initial court appearance in Massachusetts on Friday. It was not immediately clear if Teixeira had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf, and a phone message left at a number believed to belong to his mother was not immediately returned.

The Biden administration has scrambled to contain the potential diplomatic and military fallout from the leaks since they were first reported last week, moving to assure allies and assess the scope of damage. Pentagon officials have expressed alarm about the disclosures, but President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters in Ireland earlier Thursday, said “there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of great consequence.”

The classified documents — which have not been individually authenticated by U.S. officials — range from briefing slides mapping out Ukrainian military positions to assessments of international support for Ukraine and other sensitive topics, including under what circumstances Russian President Vladimir Putin might use nuclear weapons.

There’s no clear answer on how many documents were leaked. The Associated Press has viewed approximately 50 documents; some estimates put the total number in the hundreds.

The leak is believed to have started on a site called Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games and where Teixeira is believed to have posted for years about guns, games and his favorite memes — and, according to some chatting with him, closely guarded U.S. secrets.

The investigative website Bellingcat and The New York Times first publicly identified Teixeira, minutes before federal officials confirmed he was a subject of interest in the investigation. They reported tracking profiles on other more obscure sites linked to Teixeira.

In previous Associated Press stories, the leaker was identified as “the O.G.” by a member of the online chat group where Teixeira and others have posted for years. The member of the chat group declined to give his name to the AP, citing concerns for his personal safety.

The chat group, called “Thug Shaker Central,” drew roughly two dozen enthusiasts who talked about their favorite types of guns and also shared memes and jokes, some of them racist. The group also included a running discussion on wars that included talk of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In that discussion, “the O.G.” would for months post material that he said was classified — originally typing it out with his own notations, then a few months ago switching to posting images of folded-up papers because he felt his writings weren’t being taken seriously, the person said.

Discord has said it was cooperating with law enforcement.

There are only a few ways the classified information that was leaked could have been accessed. Typically in classified briefings with slides like those that were placed on Discord, the information is shared electronically. That can be done either through secure computer terminals where users gain access based on their credentials or through tablets that are distributed for briefings and collected later. If the slides need to be printed out instead, they can only be sent to secured printers that are able to handle classified documents — and that keep a digital record of everyone who has requested a printout.

For those with a security clearance, their handling of classified material is based largely on training and trust that they will safeguard the information.

“When you join the military, depending on your position, you may require a security clearance,” Ryder said. “And if you are working in the intelligence community, and you require a security clearance, you’re going to go through the proper vetting.”

Ryder said each service member who obtains a clearance signs a non-disclosure agreement and is trained on the military’s strict guidelines for handling classified material. The leaks were “a deliberate criminal act, a violation of those guidelines.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Massachusetts Air National Guard member who has emerged as a main person of interest in the disclosure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leaked-documents-russia-ukraine-pentagon-750fdefc8ece4a4d50647c1c60162145">highly classified military documents</a>&nbsp;was taken into custody Thursday by federal agents, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced.

Investigators believe that the guardsman, who specializes in intelligence, led the online chat group where the documents were posted. Garland identified the guardsman as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, and said he would be charged with the unauthorized removal of classified national defense information.

FBI agents converged Thursday at Teixeira's Massachusetts home and heavily armed tactical agents took Teixeira, who was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, into custody outside the property, “without incident," Garland said.

He will be charged with unauthorized removal of classified national defense information, Garland said, and will have an initial court appearance in federal court in Massachusetts.

It was not immediately clear if Teixeira had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf, and a phone message left at a number believed to belong to his mother was not immediately returned.

Law enforcement officials roped off the street near the home. The New York Times, which first identified Teixeira on Thursday, said that a man who had been standing outside the Teixeira home earlier said that “he needs to get an attorney if things are flowing the way they are going right now. The Feds will be around soon, I'm sure.”

The emergence of Teixeira as the apparent primary suspect is bound to raise questions about how the highest-profile intelligence leak in years, one that continues to unfold with almost daily revelations of highly classified documents, could have been caused by such a young, low-ranking service member.

The Biden administration has scrambled for days to contain the fallout from the leaked information, which has publicized potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters.

The National Guard did not confirm his identity but said in a statement that, “We are aware of the investigation into the alleged role a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman may have played in the recent leak of highly-classified documents.”

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, referred all questions about the case to the Justice Department. But he said: “We have rules in place. Each of us signs a nondisclosure agreement. This is a criminal act, a willful violation of those."

The Biden administration has been working to assess the diplomatic and national security consequences of the leaked documents since they were first reported last week. A top Pentagon spokesman told reporters earlier this week that the disclosures present a “very serious risk to national security,” and the Justice Department opened an investigation to identify the person responsible.

“We're getting close,” President Joe Biden told reporters in Ireland on Thursday. He said that though he was concerned that sensitive government documents had been disclosed, "there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of great consequence.”

The Justice Department declined to comment Thursday.

It’s possible the leak&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-leaks-chatroom-discord-social-media-5fff130f2ca9581bc14514a4e29c7b64">may have started</a>&nbsp;on a site called Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games. The Discord site hosts real-time voice, video and text chats for groups and describes itself as a place “where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a worldwide art community.”

In one of those forums, originally created to talk about a range of topics, members would debate the war in Ukraine. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that the poster claimed were classified, first typing them out with the poster’s own thoughts, then, as of a few months ago, uploading images of folded papers.

There are only a few ways the classified information that was leaked could have been accessed, which may provide critical clues as to who is responsible. Typically in classified briefings, as with the slides that were placed on Discord, the information is shared electronically.

That is done either through secure computer terminals where users gain access based on their credentials or through tablets that are distributed for briefings and collected afterward. If the slides need to be printed out instead, they can only be sent to secured printers that are able to handle classified documents — and that keep a digital record of everyone who has requested a printout.

It’s those digital clues like the record of printouts that may help investigators hone in on who took the documents. In most of the photographs of documents posted online the pictures are of paper copies that look like they had been folded into quarters — almost as if they’d been stuffed into someone’s pocket.

In the days since the leaks came to light, the Pentagon has deferred questions on the investigation to the Justice Department, stating that it’s a criminal matter. Even if the person who leaked the files is an active duty member of the U.S. military, the Justice Department would likely still have the lead in the prosecution until it was ready to turn the matter over to the Defense Department, a defense official told the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

This has been the case in previous criminal cases, such as when two Marines based at Camp Pendleton in California were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/two-active-duty-marines-charged-indictment-alleging-drug-trafficking-conspiracy-after">arrested on drug trafficking charges</a>&nbsp;in 2020, the official said. If the person responsible turns out to be a civilian, the Justice Department will be responsible, the official said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681415684529.png" alt="Attorney General Merrick Garland&nbsp;identified the guardsman as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, and said he would be charged with the unauthorized removal of classified national defense information.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General Merrick Garland&nbsp;identified the guardsman as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, and said he would be charged with the unauthorized removal of classified national defense information.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Massachusetts Air National Guard member was arrested Thursday in connection with the disclosure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leaked-documents-russia-ukraine-pentagon-750fdefc8ece4a4d50647c1c60162145">highly classified military documents</a>&nbsp;about the Ukraine war and other top national security issues, an alarming breach that has raised fresh questions about America's ability to safeguard its most sensitive secrets.The guardsman, an IT specialist identified as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, was taken into custody without incident after FBI officers converged on his Massachusetts home. He is to be charged under a provision of the Espionage Act that makes it a crime to remove or transmit classified national defense information, Attorney General Merrick Garland said.Garland did not reveal a possible motive, but accounts of those in the online private chat room where the documents were disclosed have depicted Teixeira as motivated more by bravado than ideology.While Thursday's arrest was a pivotal moment in an investigation into the highest-profile intelligence leak in years, the military and Justice Department were still scrutinizing how sensitive government secrets shared in a chat room ended up circulating around the world. The emergence of Teixeira as a primary suspect is bound to raise questions about how such a profound breach, one that the Pentagon termed a “very serious risk to national security,” could have been caused by such a young, low-ranking service member.“We entrust our members with a lot of responsibility at a very early age. Think about a young combat platoon sergeant, and the responsibility and trust that we put into those individuals to lead troops into combat,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman. He referred all questions about the investigation to the Justice Department.Teixeira was a “cyber transport systems specialist,” essentially an IT specialist responsible for military communications networks, including their cabling and hubs.In that role Teixeira would have had a higher level of security clearance because he would have also been tasked with responsibility for ensuring protection for the networks, a defense official told the Associated Press, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.Hours after the arrest, Rep. Mike Turner, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, issued a statement pledging to “examine why this happened, why it went unnoticed for weeks, and how to prevent future leaks.”Teixeira, who was wearing a T-shirt and shorts at the time heavily armed tactical agents took him into custody, is due to have his initial court appearance in Massachusetts on Friday. It was not immediately clear if Teixeira had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf, and a phone message left at a number believed to belong to his mother was not immediately returned.The Biden administration has scrambled to contain the potential diplomatic and military fallout from the leaks since they were first reported last week, moving to assure allies and assess the scope of damage. Pentagon officials have expressed alarm about the disclosures, but President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters in Ireland earlier Thursday, said “there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of great consequence.”The classified documents — which have not been individually authenticated by U.S. officials — range from briefing slides mapping out Ukrainian military positions to assessments of international support for Ukraine and other sensitive topics, including under what circumstances Russian President Vladimir Putin might use nuclear weapons.There’s no clear answer on how many documents were leaked. The Associated Press has viewed approximately 50 documents; some estimates put the total number in the hundreds.The leak is believed to have started on a site called Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games and where Teixeira is believed to have posted for years about guns, games and his favorite memes — and, according to some chatting with him, closely guarded U.S. secrets.The investigative website Bellingcat and The New York Times first publicly identified Teixeira, minutes before federal officials confirmed he was a subject of interest in the investigation. They reported tracking profiles on other more obscure sites linked to Teixeira.In previous Associated Press stories, the leaker was identified as “the O.G.” by a member of the online chat group where Teixeira and others have posted for years. The member of the chat group declined to give his name to the AP, citing concerns for his personal safety.The chat group, called “Thug Shaker Central,” drew roughly two dozen enthusiasts who talked about their favorite types of guns and also shared memes and jokes, some of them racist. The group also included a running discussion on wars that included talk of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.In that discussion, “the O.G.” would for months post material that he said was classified — originally typing it out with his own notations, then a few months ago switching to posting images of folded-up papers because he felt his writings weren’t being taken seriously, the person said.Discord has said it was cooperating with law enforcement.There are only a few ways the classified information that was leaked could have been accessed. Typically in classified briefings with slides like those that were placed on Discord, the information is shared electronically. That can be done either through secure computer terminals where users gain access based on their credentials or through tablets that are distributed for briefings and collected later. If the slides need to be printed out instead, they can only be sent to secured printers that are able to handle classified documents — and that keep a digital record of everyone who has requested a printout.For those with a security clearance, their handling of classified material is based largely on training and trust that they will safeguard the information.“When you join the military, depending on your position, you may require a security clearance,” Ryder said. “And if you are working in the intelligence community, and you require a security clearance, you’re going to go through the proper vetting.”Ryder said each service member who obtains a clearance signs a non-disclosure agreement and is trained on the military’s strict guidelines for handling classified material. The leaks were “a deliberate criminal act, a violation of those guidelines.”-----------WASHINGTON (AP) — A Massachusetts Air National Guard member who has emerged as a main person of interest in the disclosure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leaked-documents-russia-ukraine-pentagon-750fdefc8ece4a4d50647c1c60162145">highly classified military documents</a>&nbsp;was taken into custody Thursday by federal agents, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced.Investigators believe that the guardsman, who specializes in intelligence, led the online chat group where the documents were posted. Garland identified the guardsman as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, and said he would be charged with the unauthorized removal of classified national defense information.FBI agents converged Thursday at Teixeira's Massachusetts home and heavily armed tactical agents took Teixeira, who was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, into custody outside the property, “without incident," Garland said.He will be charged with unauthorized removal of classified national defense information, Garland said, and will have an initial court appearance in federal court in Massachusetts.It was not immediately clear if Teixeira had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf, and a phone message left at a number believed to belong to his mother was not immediately returned.Law enforcement officials roped off the street near the home. The New York Times, which first identified Teixeira on Thursday, said that a man who had been standing outside the Teixeira home earlier said that “he needs to get an attorney if things are flowing the way they are going right now. The Feds will be around soon, I'm sure.”The emergence of Teixeira as the apparent primary suspect is bound to raise questions about how the highest-profile intelligence leak in years, one that continues to unfold with almost daily revelations of highly classified documents, could have been caused by such a young, low-ranking service member.The Biden administration has scrambled for days to contain the fallout from the leaked information, which has publicized potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters.The National Guard did not confirm his identity but said in a statement that, “We are aware of the investigation into the alleged role a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman may have played in the recent leak of highly-classified documents.”Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, referred all questions about the case to the Justice Department. But he said: “We have rules in place. Each of us signs a nondisclosure agreement. This is a criminal act, a willful violation of those."The Biden administration has been working to assess the diplomatic and national security consequences of the leaked documents since they were first reported last week. A top Pentagon spokesman told reporters earlier this week that the disclosures present a “very serious risk to national security,” and the Justice Department opened an investigation to identify the person responsible.“We're getting close,” President Joe Biden told reporters in Ireland on Thursday. He said that though he was concerned that sensitive government documents had been disclosed, "there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of great consequence.”The Justice Department declined to comment Thursday.It’s possible the leak&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-leaks-chatroom-discord-social-media-5fff130f2ca9581bc14514a4e29c7b64">may have started</a>&nbsp;on a site called Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games. The Discord site hosts real-time voice, video and text chats for groups and describes itself as a place “where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a worldwide art community.”In one of those forums, originally created to talk about a range of topics, members would debate the war in Ukraine. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that the poster claimed were classified, first typing them out with the poster’s own thoughts, then, as of a few months ago, uploading images of folded papers.Discord has said it was cooperating with law enforcement.There are only a few ways the classified information that was leaked could have been accessed, which may provide critical clues as to who is responsible. Typically in classified briefings, as with the slides that were placed on Discord, the information is shared electronically.That is done either through secure computer terminals where users gain access based on their credentials or through tablets that are distributed for briefings and collected afterward. If the slides need to be printed out instead, they can only be sent to secured printers that are able to handle classified documents — and that keep a digital record of everyone who has requested a printout.It’s those digital clues like the record of printouts that may help investigators hone in on who took the documents. In most of the photographs of documents posted online the pictures are of paper copies that look like they had been folded into quarters — almost as if they’d been stuffed into someone’s pocket.In the days since the leaks came to light, the Pentagon has deferred questions on the investigation to the Justice Department, stating that it’s a criminal matter. Even if the person who leaked the files is an active duty member of the U.S. military, the Justice Department would likely still have the lead in the prosecution until it was ready to turn the matter over to the Defense Department, a defense official told the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.This has been the case in previous criminal cases, such as when two Marines based at Camp Pendleton in California were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/two-active-duty-marines-charged-indictment-alleging-drug-trafficking-conspiracy-after">arrested on drug trafficking charges</a>&nbsp;in 2020, the official said. If the person responsible turns out to be a civilian, the Justice Department will be responsible, the official said.

Guardsman arrested in leak of classified military documents

DICKINSON COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Herington man on Wednesday for allegedly intimidating a witness in a felony investigation, according to a media release from the KBI.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday, Russell L. Thomas, 61, of Herington, was arrested on a warrant for aggravated intimidation of a witness. This crime is alleged to have occurred on April 7. Thomas is a middle school science teacher at Herington USD 487, according to the district web site.

Thomas was booked into the Dickinson County Jail. Bond was set at $50,000. He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681400869626.png" alt="Thomas-photo Dickinson County." />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Dickinson County.</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Herington man on Wednesday for allegedly intimidating a witness in a felony investigation, according to a media release from the KBI.Shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday, Russell L. Thomas, 61, of Herington, was arrested on a warrant for aggravated intimidation of a witness. This crime is alleged to have occurred on April 7. Thomas is a middle school science teacher at Herington USD 487, according to the district web site.Thomas was booked into the Dickinson County Jail. Bond was set at $50,000. He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

Herington teacher accused of witness intimidation is out on bond

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting have a suspect in custody.

Just after 2.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1300 block of SW Polk Street in Topeka, according police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

First responders located one individual with life-threatening injuries. That individual was then transported to a local hospital to be treated.

On Wednesday afternoon, investigators arrested 23-year-old&nbsp; Jeremy B. Rath of Topeka, on requested charges of Aggravated battery, Criminal possession of firearm, Felony obstruction and for two Warrants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681333676937.png" alt="Rath-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Rath-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting have a suspect in custody.Just after 2.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1300 block of SW Polk Street in Topeka, according police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.First responders located one individual with life-threatening injuries. That individual was then transported to a local hospital to be treated.On Wednesday afternoon, investigators arrested 23-year-old&nbsp; Jeremy B. Rath of Topeka, on requested charges of Aggravated battery, Criminal possession of firearm, Felony obstruction and for two Warrants.Police did not release on update on the condition of the victim.