RENO COUNTY — The suspect in the fatal September 22, shooting in Hutchison was back before a judge Monday for the reading of formal charges. 

Prosecutors charged Quinton Moore, 43, with first-degree murder for the shooting of 42-year-old Clarence D. Allen. The state is calling the shooting intentional and premeditated. 

Moore is accused of going to a residence at 1701 E. 30^th in Hutchinson, shooting Allen multiple times with a handgun and leaving the scene.

A friend later found Allen was found in bed with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and face.

The charge is an off-grid felony with a sentencing of life with no chance of parole for 25-years if he’s convicted. 

Moore remains jailed on half million-dollar bond.  He has previous convictions for and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the Kansas Supreme Court’s ruling on public school funding (all times local):

6:45 p.m.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is calling a Kansas Supreme Court decision on school funding “yet another regrettable chapter in the never ending cycle of litigation” over education funding.

Brownback issued his statement Monday after the court rejected a school funding law enacted earlier this year.

The law phased in a $293 million increase in spending on schools over two years, and the court said the spending is inadequate to provide a suitable education for every child.

But Brownback said the court should not have substituted its judgment for the Legislature’s.

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3:20 p.m.

The Kansas House’s top Democrat says a state Supreme Court ruling against a new school funding law is no surprise.

House Minority Leader Jim Ward of Wichita said Monday that many lawmakers in both parties identified some of the same flaws cited by the seven-member court.

The law phased in a $293 million increase in spending on public schools over two years, and the court said the spending is inadequate to provide a suitable education for every child.

Ward and other Democrats had argued the increase was far too low.

The court also said rejected the new per-student formula for distributing aid as being unfair to poor districts.

Ward is running for governor next year.

Fellow Democratic candidate Joshua Svaty praised the ruling and called for higher teacher salaries.

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2:45 p.m.

An attorney representing four Kansas school districts that sued the state over education funding says a state Supreme Court ruling is bittersweet.

Attorney Alan Rupe said the decision Monday by the Supreme Court confirms that public schools in Kansas are significantly underfunded. He said the Dodge City, Hutchinson, Wichita and Kansas City, Kansas, districts proved that during a lower-court trial four years ago.

But Rupe also noted that the court directed legislators to fix the problem before July 2018 and that three of its seven members would have mandated quicker action.

Rupe said significant damage has been done as the state has ignored its obligations under the Kansas Constitution.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback said his office is reviewing the decision and will comment after a full review.

2:20 p.m.

The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that legislators did not increase spending on public schools enough this year and ordered a bigger increase.

The high court on Monday rejected the state’s arguments that a new law phasing in a $293 million increase in funding over two years was enough to provide a suitable education for every child. The state is projected to spend about $4.3 billion on aid to its 286 school districts during the 2018-19 school year under the new law.

The court ruled in a lawsuit filed in 2010 by four school districts and told lawmakers to write a new school funding law before July 2018.

The districts argued that the increase approved by lawmakers was at least $600 million short of what was necessary.

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SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for kidnapping and battery.

Just after 1a.m. September 26, a woman working at Rod’s gas station, 2140 W. Crawford in Salina, was assaulted when 40-year-old Matthew Hine came in.

He allegedly threw the woman against a wall and dragged her into the bathroom during an argument, according to Salina Police Capt. Paul Forrester.

A co-worker attempted to talk Hine out of the bathroom after he locked the door. Capt. Forrester said he yelled at the woman in the bathroom before leaving the store.

On September 28, the woman reported the incident to Salina Police. Forrester said that the victim still had bruises on her arms.

Police arrested Hine several hours later on one count of aggravated kidnapping and domestic violence battery.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is reporting that it collected $57 million more in taxes than anticipated in September.

It was the fourth consecutive month that tax collections have exceeded projections from the state’s official fiscal forecast.

The state Department of Revenue said Monday that nearly $603 million in taxes was collected last month. That was 10.5 percent more than the official estimate of $545 million.

Since the fiscal year began July 1, the state has collected $73 million more than anticipated, with tax collections of $1.5 billion exceeding expectations by 5.1 percent.

Legislators in June rolled back past individual income tax cuts championed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback to help balance the budget.

Individual income tax collections are exceeding expectations but so are corporate income and sales tax collections.

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) — A southeastern Kansas police officer is still hospitalized but is expected to recover after being set on fire when he responded to a reported assault.

Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves on Monday said Baxter Springs officer Jimmy Hamilton is at a Springfield hospital and was in good spirits when the two spoke Sunday.

A man threw fuel on Hamilton, another officer and a woman at her Baxter Springs home Saturday, setting all three on fire. The man allegedly had been assaulting 65-year-old Sharon Horn, who died Saturday. The man hasn’t been identified.

A third officer was injured after trying to put out the fires.

The sheriff said officers Justin Butler and Darryl Nadeau were treated and released from a hospital in Joplin, Missouri.

CLOUD COUNTY —Concordia Police are asking for help locating a woman wanted for attempted first-degree murder.

The Concordia Police Department was dispatched to the 800 block of Russ Street just after 1:25 a.m. on Sept. 29 for a report of a woman bleeding.

“Upon arrival, Jennifer Knipp, 38, was found outside her residence bleeding from the face and head from numerous wounds that had been caused by both broken bottles and blunt force trauma. Knipp was taken directly to Salina Regional hospital and underwent surgery,” according to the Concordia Police Department.

Authorities say they have a suspect in the investigation and a warrant was issued for 28-year-old Simone Ashley Longsine. She is described as a white female, approximately 6’2 tall and around 185 pounds

Longsine is wanted for one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated kidnapping. She is not known to be in the Concordia area at this time, according to a media release.

She has previous convictions for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Those with any information are encouraged to call the Concordia Police Department at (785)-243-3131.

TOPEKA— A Kansas  man was sentenced Monday to 16 years in federal prison for taking part in the kidnapping of a Junction City woman who was killed during the abduction, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

Drexel A. Woody, 27, who lived on Fort Riley at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death. The body of Amanda Clemons, 24, of Junction City, was found in February 2014 in Geary County, Kan.

In Woody’s plea, he admitted that on Feb. 7, 2014, he and some of the co-defendants met the victim, who was a prostitute, at a hotel in Junction City and kidnapped her. The defendants beat the victim in retribution for comments she had made on social media. During the beating, the defendants demanded the victim pay $300. They took the victim to another hotel room in an unsuccessful attempt to get the money, after which they transported her to the Woody residence on Fort Riley.

While at the Woody residence, the defendants allowed the victim to call her young son and her mother. The victim’s mother realized the victim was in danger and called Junction City Police. When police called the victim’s number to check on her, and the defendants listened to the call on speakerphone. Fearing arrest, the defendant along with Anderson and Middleton took victim to a bridge in a remote part of Geary County, where Anderson and Middleton resumed the beating and attacked her with a knife. The victim broke free and jumped off the bridge, falling 15 feet and breaking her ankle. Anderson and Middleton found the victim in the snow and resumed the assault during which they cut her throat and killed her.

LAS VEGAS— The Latest on the shooting in Las Vegas (all times local):

8:44 a.m.

Sheriff Joe Lombardo says the death toll from the Las Vegas shooting has risen to 58, with 515 people injured. A gunman opened fire on a Las Vegas country music festival Sunday night.

Media briefing with LVMPD Sheriff Lombardo on the shooting incident last night. https://t.co/3eUm4Ze30J

— LVMPD (@LVMPD) October 2, 2017

The gunman opened fire from inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Authorities say 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock killed himself after the shooting. Police have yet to determine a motive.

The FBI says the shooter had no connection to an international terrorist group.

The announcement from Special Agent in Charge Aaron Rouse at a news conference Monday comes after the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack without providing evidence.

The extremist group claimed that the shooter was “a soldier” who had converted to Islam months ago. It has made exaggerated or false claims in the past.

The FBI believes Paddock acted alone. He killed himself after the shooting.

7:45 a.m.

—The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department identified the lone suspect involved in the late- night mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip as 64-year-old, Stephen Craig Paddock, a white male from Mesquite, Nevada, according to a media release.

Paddock opened fire on a crowd of more than 22,000 concert-goers from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel on Sunday evening at approximately 10:08 p.m. The victims were across the street attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert when bullets rang out. LVMPD SWAT responded to the call, breached the hotel room and found the suspect dead.

The Clark County Fire Department estimated that approximately 406 people were transported to area hospitals and 50 are dead following Sunday evening’s shooting. Among the dead is an LVMPD officer who was off-duty at the time. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. There were also two on-duty officers injured, one of whom was upgraded recently from critical to stable condition. The other sustained non-life threatening wounds.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is asking for anyone with videos or photos concerning the shooting to call 1-800-CALLFBI or (800) 225-5324.

 

Insane…. this JUST happened. #PrayForVegas pic.twitter.com/RWgjFW7BHy

— Luke Broadlick (@LukeBroadlick) October 2, 2017

LVMPD and Clark County Coroner’s Office have set up a hotline for family or friends to report a missing loved one connected to this incident. The hotline is only to take reports on missing people. The number is (866) 535-5654. LVMPD also opened up a family reunification center at its headquarters at 400 S. Martin L. King Blvd. in Building B.

 

The identification process of all of the injured and the deceased will take time, so authorities are asking the public for patience.

———-

President Donald Trump is extending condolences to the victims of the shooting in Las Vegas and their families.

In a tweet Monday, Trump offered “My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!”

My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump was “briefed on the horrific tragedy in Las Vegas.”

Sanders said that “we are monitoring the situation closely.”

A gunman’s attack on the Sunday night country music concert killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 200.

___

5:15 a.m.

Las Vegas police say they’ve determined that a woman they were seeking is no longer considered a “person of interest” in the deadly mass shooting at a country music festival.

Police say they don’t believe 62-year-old Marilou Danley was involved in the Sunday night shooting that killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 200.

Police initially said they were seeking the woman who may have been the roommate of the shooter.

The gunman has been identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock.

Paddock died after police confronted him Sunday on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino.

3:30 a.m.

A Nevada sheriff says the death toll has climbed to 50 in the attack on a Las Vegas concert Sunday, making it the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo says more than 200 people were wounded at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Strip.

Authorities have identified the suspected gunman as Las Vegas resident Stephen Paddock.

Lombardo says officers confronted Paddock on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street from the concert. Paddock is dead.

Authorities say they have located 62-year-old Marilou Danley, who was wanted as a person of interest in this incident.

 

Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken #stopthehate

A post shared by Jason Aldean (@jasonaldean) on Oct 2, 2017 at 1:17am PDT

The dead gunman is also believed to have checked in as a hotel guest.

2 a.m.

A Nevada sheriff says one on-duty officer is in critical condition and another was wounded in the Las Vegas concert shooting that left more than 20 people dead.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo says two off-duty officers have died.

VIDEO: Media briefing earlier by @Sheriff_LVMPD regarding the active shooter incident on the Strip. https://t.co/1D7ziLF7ut #LVMPDnews

— LVMPD (@LVMPD) October 2, 2017

Several officers from California were attending the outdoor Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on Sunday when a gunman opened fire. A Bakersfield Police officer was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities have not released any of their identities.

More than 100 people were injured.

Lombardo says the suspect is dead.

The sheriff says they believe this was a “lone wolf” attack but said they are looking for a roommate of the dead suspect as a person of interest.

___

1:55 a.m.

Country music star Jason Aldean took to social media to say he and his crew are safe after a gunman killed more than 20 people at an outdoor concert Sunday.

At 42 seconds of this video you can see the plastic cup being hit with a ricochet. Chills to the maxhttps://t.co/KFiM4ur5AF

— Pete Venkman (@Venkmanism) October 2, 2017

Aldean was in the middle of his performance when the bullets rained down on the crowd. He posted on Instagram hours later, calling the shooting “beyond horrific.”

Las Vegas authorities say more than 100 people are wounded in the attack.

Clark County’s sheriff says officers confronted the suspect on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street from the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. Authorities say the man is dead. They did not release the suspect’s name but said he is a local resident.

___

1:40 a.m.

Las Vegas authorities say more than 20 people are dead and 100 people are wounded after a man opened fire on an outdoor concert late Sunday.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo says officers confronted the suspect on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street from the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. Authorities say the man is dead. They did not release the suspect’s name but said he is a local resident.

Several officers from the Bakersfield Police Department were attending the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on Sunday when a gunman opened fire. One was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Authorities did not release his name.

Lombardo said they believe this was a “lone wolf” attack but said they are looking for a roommate of the dead suspect as a person of interest

___

1:13 a.m.

A Southern California police department says one of its off-duty officers was shot during the attack on a Las Vegas concert.

Several officers from the Bakersfield Police Department were attending the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on Sunday when a gunman opened fire. One was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Authorities did not release his name.

Two people are dead and dozens wounded after someone opened fire on an outdoor country music festival across the street from the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Las Vegas police say one suspect is ‘down’ but did not give any other details.

___

1 a.m.

Some flights have resumed at the Las Vegas airport after all planes were temporarily grounded due to the deadly shooting on the Strip.

McCarran International Airport says limited flight activity has resumed early Monday.

Two people are dead and dozens wounded after someone opened fire late Sunday on an outdoor country music festival.

Las Vegas police say one suspect is ‘down’ but did not give any other details.

University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said 26 people were admitted to the hospital after the incident.

___

12:50 a.m.

Las Vegas police say one suspect is ‘down’ after a deadly shooting Sunday at an outdoor concert and authorities don’t believe there are any more shooters.

Two people are dead and dozens more wounded after a gunman opened fire during Jason Aldean’s performance at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.

Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15.

McCarran International Airport officials say all flights in and out have been temporarily halted.

___

12:30 a.m.

All planes have been grounded at the Las Vegas airport after the deadly shooting at an outdoor concert on the Strip.

McCarran International Airport says all flights in and out have been temporarily halted in response to the shooting.

Two people are dead and dozens wounded after someone opened fire late Sunday on a music festival.

Las Vegas police say one suspect is ‘down’ but did not give any other details.

University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said 26 people were admitted to the hospital after the incident.

___

12:15 a.m.

A concert-goer says he heard what sounded like fireworks while he was watching Jason Aldean’s performance at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival Sunday night.

Thirty-six-year-old Kodiak Yazzie said the music stopped temporarily and started up again before another round of pops sent the performers ducking for cover and fleeing the stage.

As the 40,000 fans in the crowd began to flee, Yazzie took cover and said he saw flashes of light coming from the Mandalay Bay hotel tower high above.

The bursts of pops would start and stop for more than five minutes. He says he saw dozens of ambulances as he ran for safety. He later got a Lyft driver to take him home to suburban Henderson.

Las Vegas police say one suspect is ‘down.’

A hospital spokeswoman says two people are dead and dozens wounded.

___

12:05 a.m.

Las Vegas police say one suspect is ‘down’ after shooting at country music festival that has left two people dead and dozens wounded.

University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said 26 people were admitted to the hospital.

Dozens of patrol vehicles descended on the Strip after authorities received reports of an active shooter near the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Some officers took cover behind their vehicles while others carrying assault rifles ran into the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15.

Some flights destined for the McCarran International Airport were diverted due to incident.

___

11:55 p.m.

A Las Vegas hospital says at least two people are dead and dozens wounded after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip.

University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said 26 people were admitted to the hospital. She says, of those, at least two have died, 12 are in critical condition and the rest are being evaluated.

Dozens of patrol vehicles descended on the Strip after authorities received reports of an active shooter near the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15.

___

11:45 p.m.

Concert-goers reported seeing muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino across Las Vegas Boulevard from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival and the sound of what they described as automatic gun fire.

Witnesses say they saw multiple victims Sunday night as they fled the gunfire raining down on the concert venue.

Some later huddled in the basement of the nearby Tropicana hotel-casino.

___

11 p.m.

Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip.

Dozens of patrol vehicles descended on the Strip after authorities received reports of an active shooter near the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Some officers took cover behind their vehicles while others carrying assault rifles ran into the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said the Las Vegas hospital is taking in “several” people with gunshot wounds. She didn’t have any other immediate information.

Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15.

Some flights destined for the McCarran International Airport were diverted due to incident.

Witnesses say country singer Jason Aldean was playing near the end of the concert when gunfire rang out.

No further information was immediately known.

RENO COUNTY —– The victim of a September 21 hit-and-run accident in Hutchinson has died Monday morning according to Hutchinson Police Lt. Marty Robertson.

Just after 1a.m. September 21, police reported they learned that a man identified as 51-year-old Jose Lopez was unconscious on the side of the roadway in the 1200 Block of E 4th Avenue in Hutchinson.

Police said Lopez was riding his bicycle when he was struck by a vehicle driven by 19-year-old Taylor Lukone who fled the accident scene.

Later that day, police located Lukone’s blue Nissan Altima believed involved in the accident. Three days later they arrested Lukone.

In court the state alleged the accident was intentional. According to statements made at an earlier hearing, he was upset with Lopez because of the way he had treated people.

Lukone now faces a charge of first-degree murder for this incident according to Robertson.

He is expected to be in court Tuesday for the reading of any formal charges

By Stephen Koranda

The American Civil Liberties Union launched a national voting rights campaign during a Sunday night event in Lawrence that was broadcast online throughout the country. It was the start of a grassroots effort, called Let People Vote, which the ACLU says is a chance to go on the offensive.

Hundreds of people gathered for the start of the event, which was strategically placed in Kansas, the home of Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach. He’s a staunch supporter of strict voting rules and has pushed for laws that require people to produce a citizenship document when registering and show photo ID at the polls.

During the meeting, the speakers repeatedly mentioned and criticized Kobach, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

ACLU Political Director Faiz Shakir said the organization would prefer to make changes on the national level through Congress but sees that as unlikely.

“Given the dysfunction in Congress, we are not going to pass anything through there to expand voting rights. It would be ideal if we could,” Shakir said. “The only way that we can fight to expand voting rights in America is to go state by state by state.”

In Kansas, one ACLU goal is to repeal the voter ID and registration laws. The group has formed plans for every state to expand early voting, simplify registration and change the redistricting process.

Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said in recent years the group has filed lawsuits in response to new voting laws.

“Like a game of whack-a-mole, trying to stop each one of these laws every time that they emerge,” he said. “All that is, at the end of the day, is playing defense. We have to go on offense.”

Kobach has seen a rising national profile. He’s now vice chairman of a commission created by President Donald Trump to study voter fraud. Trump has made an unsubstantiated claim that he would have won the popular vote in the 2016 election if it weren’t for millions of illegal votes cast.

Related story: Kobach faces pushback on New Hampshire voter fraud comments

Sarah Magnuson, from Lawrence, attended the meeting. She said she had been unhappy with Kobach, but the federal voter fraud commission was a motivating factor.

“Now with this commission, I needed to get really involved and not just talking about it,” Magnuson said.

Magnuson attended the event with Mary Ann Henry, from Baldwin City.

“I feel hopeful. I feel that maybe the common man has a possibility of being heard,” Henry said.

However, Henry admits it’s easier said than done.

“It’s one thing to listen,” she said. “It’s something else to go home, and then what are you going to do about it?”

Before the meeting, Kobach said he wasn’t surprised that the ACLU chose Kansas for the kickoff because it is a leading state in voter security with its photo ID and voter registration rules.

“The ACLU and I have been at loggerheads,” Kobach said. “Franky, it’s fair to say the ACLU and the Kansas Legislature have been at loggerheads because the Legislature, at my urging, adopted these requirements.”

Kobach said he isn’t concerned about the campaign changing voting laws, because he believes they have broad support.

“I don’t think that it will be very fruitful,” he said. “I doubt they’ll persuade the Kansas Legislature to get rid of photo ID or proof of citizenship.”

Kobach is not seeking another term as secretary as state but instead has launched a campaign for governor.

State Rep. Scott Schwab, one of the Republican candidates to replace Kobach as secretary of state, supports the state’s voting policies and said they initially passed with bipartisan support.

“Political hijackers like the ACLU shouldn’t try telling us what our election laws should and shouldn’t be,” Schwab said in a statement. “Measures like voter ID protect our elections and give every Kansan results they can trust.”

Kobach has said the state’s voting policies have helped prevent voter fraud by blocking illegal voters. Critics, like the ACLU, hae said voter fraud is rare and the rules have made it harder for eligible voters.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for KPR, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda.