Author: KMIZ

Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A group of Missouri activists gathered in Jefferson City Sunday to protest the use of Flock cameras, calling for the surveillance technology to be removed.

Show Me Resistance organizers said they hope Sunday’s protest is a step toward getting Flock cameras removed from the city.

The group gathered at 11 a.m. at the Community Park before marching through Greenway. Protesters also made stops along Lafayette Street, where several Flock cameras are installed.

Organizers said they are concerned about how Flock cameras collect, store and share automated license plate reader data.

Show Me Resistance co-organizer Kaytlin Tingle said the technology has been misused.

“They been caught stalking women and harming people or minorities. So we just feel like they’re obviously more sinister than they’re trying to lead us to believe,” Tingle said.

Local news reports have documented allegations involving the misuse of Flock systems in Joplin, St. Charles County and Brentwood.

Organizers also raised concerns about where Flock cameras are located in Jefferson City. They said some cameras are placed in areas with large populations of people experiencing homelessness and in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

“I think it’s normal for our government, but it unacceptable,” Show Me Resistance co-organizer Summer Williams said. “I think it’s racist.”

The group also questioned who could eventually access or purchase surveillance data, raising concerns about privacy. Organizers said Missouri had been among states without statewide regulations governing the use of these surveillance systems.

Last month, Gov. Mike Kehoe has also put temporary restrictions in place to limit how data is used until Missouri lawmakers can meet in the next legislative session to create laws. The restrictions require Flock data to be deleted within 30 days, prohibit the sale of the data, limit its use to legitimate law enforcement purposes and prohibit the use of facial recognition technology.

The Jefferson City Police Department said Flock cameras have helped solve three homicides.

While Show Me Resistance opposes the cameras, organizers said they understand the technology can be useful to law enforcement. However, they believe crimes can be solved using other tools.

“I think we can also use traffic cams to do that. We have historically been able to catch people like that using just traffic cameras, and those require warrants for all the data that’s collected,” Show Me Resistance co-organizer Hadley McNeill said.

Jefferson City renewed its contract with Flock in August. The contract runs through May 2027.

Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office has stopped using Flock cameras, and Columbia city leaders are considering whether to renew their contract with the company in March.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced a bill in Congress to restrict how data from these AI-powered cameras is used. He proposes that data be encrypted and not shared with non-governmental agencies; searches be approved; a search log be kept; data be deleted within 10 days; hardware or software from foreign adversaries not be used; and facial recognition not be used.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Eldon woman was killed in a motorcycle crash Saturday afternoon in Callaway County.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the 31-year-old was driving a 2025 Kawasaki Ninja northbound on U.S. 63 and went off the left side of the road in the 12200 block around 1:45 p.m.

The bike struck the cable barrier, and the woman was thrown off it. The release says she was pronounced dead on scene.

She was not wearing a helmet, according to the report. The motorcycle was totaled.

This is Troop F’s first death reported in October and the 50th in 2026. MSHP does not name victims in its reports.

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Melissa Houston

KINGDOM CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri firefighters gathered in Kingdom City at the Fire fighters Memorial Foundation to honor all firefighters who died while serving their communities for the 24th annual candlelight service.

The candlelight service will be hosted on Saturday at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, another service will be held at 10:30 a.m.

Saturday’s service was a personal gathering to honor all fallen firefighters and gave families a chance to reflect on their community.

Sunday’s service will be a more formal ceremony with full protocols, inviting firefighters from across Missouri.

Tracy Gray on the Board of Directors for the Fire Fighter Memorial Foundation said Saturday’s ceremony is special because of it’s candlelight vigil.

“Under the lights and then the candles, it just kind of lets you reflect a little bit,” said Gray. “The granite wall with the line-of-duty deaths, the kneeling firefighter, it just looks so special at nighttime with the candles reflecting off of it.”

Gray said 105 firefighters were honored on Saturday. Five died in the line of duty, and 100 firefighters will be placed on the Legends Wall. He said members who have worked in the field for 10 or more years have an opportunity to have their names on the wall.

According to the Fire Fighters Memorial Foundation of Missouri, the event is two days long to allow time to honor all firefighters whom community members submit.

Being an active firefighter for over 30 years, Gray said he feels lucky to have retired and gets to attend the annual memorial to honor his brothers and sisters in service.

“I just kind of feel like I’m one of the lucky ones,” said Gray. “And it just means so much that I could do that. And my brothers and sisters, I want to make sure that their families understand that we will never forget their part of the fire service family, and they always will be.”

On Friday, Governor Mike Kehoe proclaimed October 4 to be Fire Service Memorial day, to honor all firefighters who risk their lives everyday to protect the citizens of Missouri.

Gray said it means a lot to the fire community that the Missouri Governor understands the sacrifices of their jobs.

“We have a governor in place that understands our jobs and how we do and how it affects our families,” said Gray. “And he’s always willing to take his time out of his busy schedule to talk to us and to listen to what we have to say.”

Kehoe has ordered the Missouri State Capitol dome to turn red at sunset on Saturday till sunrise on Monday, October 5.

In a press release from Kehoe’s office, Acting State Fire Marshal Matt Luetkemeyer said that lighting the dome red will expand awareness and give appreciation for those in the fire service who risk their lives and run towards danger.

Gray said lighting the Capitol dome not only lets the community know they support them, but also reminds them of the sacrifices fallen firefighters have made.

“It lets the community understand that are the fire service is always here for them,” said Gray. “But also it lets them know that there are those that do the ultimate sacrifice and we want to make sure that they’re never forgotten.”

Both services will be located at 5550 Dunn Drive in Kingdom City. Services will be held regardless of the weather, but if needed, the location will change to the gym at Auzxvasse Middle School.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City woman died Friday evening after she was hit by a truck.

According to a news release from the Jefferson City Police Department, officers were called to The Office bar in the 900 block of West McCarty Street shortly before 4 p.m. for a reported vehicle-pedestrian crash.

A 67-year-old woman was found to have been struck by a 2018 Ford F-150 in a parking lot, the release says. She was conscious and alert while being treated on scene and taken by ambulance to University Hospital with what appeared to be “moderate” injuries.

JCPD was told around 5:20 p.m. that the pedestrian had died at the hospital from her injuries.

After reviewing surveillance video and doing a further investigation, the police department’s Traffic Unit determined the “circumstances surrounding the crash,” the release says. A 57-year-old Jefferson City man was identified as the driver.

An investigating officer who made contact with the man observed indicators that he was impaired by alcohol, according to the release. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

The release says a probable cause statement has been submitted to the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The owner of The Office Bar told ABC 17 the business will not comment at this time.

The bar remains open.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

University of Missouri students, alumni and fans are gearing up to cheer on the Tigers on Saturday afternoon in the homecoming football game against the University of Florida Gators. Before the 2:30 p.m. kickoff, many fans will start the day at the homecoming parade.

The parade steps off at 9 a.m. near Tiger Avenue and Rollins Street, then travels onto Hitt Street, heading toward University Avenue before turning, then traveling on Ninth Street up to Broadway and finishing on Cherry Street, according to the MU Alumni Association. Cherry Street is the designated sensory-friendly area.

According to a Facebook post from the Columbia Police Department, street parking along the parade route is prohibited from 6 a.m. to noon. People can park in garages on Turner Avenue, Conley Avenue, Hitt Street, University Avenue and other garages in downtown Columbia.

CPD also reminded drivers that there are designated rideshare spaces downtown that are reserved for taxis, buses, rideshare vehicles, on-demand delivery vehicles, emergency services vehicles or STRIPES–Uber for MU students. Those spots will be marked with a sign and are reserved daily from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Locations include Broadway in front of Willie’s, both sides of East Walnut near 50 Yard Line and Reign Bar, and on North Ninth Street out front of Reign Bar and 9th Street Bar.

Ahead of the afternoon kickoff, the Missouri Department of Transportation will delay road work in Columbia and Boone County to accommodate game-day traffic.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One woman was seriously injured while four youths had minor injuries in a Friday morning crash in Miller County, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred on Highway 42, east of Highway 134, the report says.  

The report says a 17-year-old Osage Beach girl drove a 2017 Toyota Sienna eastbound off the right side of the road, before overcorrecting and hit a 2025 Subaru Forester head-on. The Subaru was driven by a 23-year-old Crocker woman, the report says.

The woman had serious injuries, while the girl had minor injuries, the report says. Three passengers in the girl’s vehicle – boys aged 9, 13 and 15 years old – had minor injuries.

Everyone in the crash was brought to Lake Regional Hospital by ambulance, the report says. The 13-year-old and 15-year-old boys did not wear seatbelts, the report says.

Both vehicles were totaled. MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Despite a slight decline in overall crime in Columbia during the past year, reported crime downtown increased sharply.

ABC 17 News obtained a copy of the “Downtown Columbia Crime Trends and Enforcement Strategies” report, which is set to be presented to the Columbia City Council on Monday during the city’s pre-council meeting.

The report compares crime from Sept. 16, 2025-Sept. 15, 2026, with the same period the previous year. The figures only include data from the Columbia Police Department and do not include crime reported by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Boone County Sheriff’s Office or University of Missouri Police Department.

CPD data shows crime decreased slightly across Columbia over the past year, while reported crime downtown increased by nearly 48%. Citywide, there were 8,629 reported crimes from Sept. 16, 2025, through Sept. 15, 2026, down 1.8% from 8,789 during the same period the previous year.

Downtown, however, reported crime increased from 520 incidents to 769, a 47.8% increase.

Violent crime

Violent crime decreased both citywide and downtown during the year-over-year comparison. CPD defines violent crime as robbery, rape, aggravated assault, murder and non-negligent manslaughter. 

Across Columbia, violent crime fell 6.8%, from 276 incidents to 257. Downtown, violent crime decreased from 22 incidents to 21.

The report also shows September 2025 had the highest number of violent crimes in a single month since 2023, with six incidents. The previous monthly high was five incidents, recorded in both August and October 2024.

So far in 2026, April saw the highest total of violent incidents with four. 

Calls for service and arrests

The report also projects an increase in calls for service in 2026.

Columbia recorded 13,128 calls for service in 2025, the highest total of the previous three years.

As of Sept. 15, 2026, CPD had recorded 9,055 calls for service. The department projects that number will reach 13,582 by the end of the year.

September also saw the most arrests of any month during the past three years, with 107. The previous monthly high was 97 arrests in October 2025.

Shots fired

There have been 898 shots-fired or shooting incidents reported across Columbia since 2019, according to the data. Of those, 44 occurred downtown.

Downtown recorded seven shooting incidents in both 2024 and 2025, the highest annual totals during that period. Citywide, 2021 had the largest number of shots-fired or shooting incidents with 154.

That number dropped to 80 in 2025. So far in 2026, there have been 42 incidents.

Downtown shooting incidents

The report also details seven shots-fired incidents reported downtown in 2024.

Several of the incidents occurred during the late-night or early-morning hours, with multiple shootings occurring along or near East Broadway. Some were preceded by fights or other disturbances, and several resulted in arrests or the recovery of firearms and shell casings.

One of the more-serious incidents occurred in May, when a woman was shot in the leg after a large fight near Ninth Street and Broadway. In November, three people were struck by gunfire near East Broadway, including two uninvolved bystanders. Two suspects were arrested in that case.

The report notes that investigations remained open in two of the seven 2024 incidents.

The same geographic pattern continued into 2025, with several incidents concentrated around Broadway, Walnut Street and Ninth Street. Seven shots-fired incidents were documented downtown that year, including multiple incidents near the intersections of Ninth and Walnut and in the 800 block of East Broadway.

Most of the 2025 incidents also occurred during overnight or early-morning hours. In June, an uninvolved bystander was struck by a stray round near East Walnut Street. Later that month, a downtown robbery escalated into a shooting that left the victim fatally wounded. In September, three people were shot in the 800 block of East Broadway, including one person who later died from her injuries. Officers also reported hearing another gunshot nearby while investigating that shooting.

So far in 2026, the report lists two downtown shots-fired incidents, both near Walnut Street. One occurred in August in the 800 block of East Walnut, where four shots were fired and a suspect was arrested with the gun. Another was reported in September near 705 East Walnut, with the suspect later identified and arrested.

Overall, the report shows repeated shots-fired incidents in the downtown area around Broadway, Walnut Street and Ninth Street, with many occurring during late-night or early-morning hours. However, the report’s incident data does not establish a single cause or explain why those areas have seen repeated shootings.

Downtown Crime Trends Council PresentationDownload

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Collin Anderson

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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One of the oldest rivalries in high school football is renewed for 2026.

The Kewpies and Jays are our SportsZone Football Friday Game of the Week. You can watch the game live over the air on channel 17.3 on KZOU. Here is a look at other local listings:

DirecTV – Channel 18 Dish Network – Channel 32 Mediacom – Channel 12 & 709 Centurylink – Channel 12 Spectrum – Channel 183

Hickman and Jefferson City is the second oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi River. While today, cross town matches draw the most attention from the players, the history between these two schools still makes this a one of the biggest games on the calender for both sides.

“I played in this, I know what it means to us and it’s exciting,” Hickman coach Justin Conyers said. “You want to talk about some of the guys that reach out about this football game. This is the one that everybody wants to be at.”

While the game against Jefferson City is personally significant, this game marks much more for the Kewpies. Hickman has a chance to go 3-0 through the middle third of the season, giving the team a perfect base to take one last step over the last three weeks ahead of the post season.

But if they want to keep those winning ways up in the final games, it will have to be on the road. The contest against the Jays is the final home game for the team at Alumni stadium.

Hickman will honor its senior class before the game, and coach Conyers credits this class for turning the program around in three short years.

“What this senior group did when they started it as sophomores for us, we knew they were the foundation of it for us,” Conyers said. “We knew what we had in that group, and the success they’ve been able to have over these past three years has been remarkable.”

When it comes to success, few schools in mid-Missouri have been better than Jefferson City in their history. But as the Jays look to return to the mountain top, they’ll have to find some consistency on both sides of the football.

“I think we’ve played really well, and we’ve been a good football team,” Jefferson City coach Eric Thomas said. “But there’s been those stretches where we just haven’t been very good, and we got to find a way to get more of the good stretches and less of the bad.”

Perhaps the brightest spot on this offense is running back Zavion Finney. Through just five weeks, the senior was one of the best backs in the state a year ago, and through five weeks of the season he’s already eclipsed 1100 yards on the ground.

“I think our rushing attack and Zavion Finney have been really impressive,” Thomas said. “I mean he’s playing both sides of the ball, but that rushing attack isn’t just number 22. Our offensive line has played well, but man he’s just physical, and he’s a great leader on our team.”

Jefferson City and Hickman will meet at Alumni Stadium on Friday, Octo. 2, with kick off set for 7 p.m.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man accused in a deadly 2024 stabbing at Columbia’s Douglass Park has been deemed competent to stand trial.

Demetrice M. Tatum, 41, of Columbia, was charged in April 2024 with first-degree murder and armed criminal action after he allegedly stabbed Kejuan Allen to death at Douglass Park. He appears on the Boone County Jail roster, but court filings say he is still being held by the Department of Mental Health.

According to previous reporting, a witness stated in court documents that Tatum used a stun gun on Allen before he cut Allen’s throat and stabbed him 20 times.

Tatum’s attorney had previously filed an objection to a September motion to proceed that was filed by the DMH. Attorney Edward Luby withdrew the objection on Friday, according to court filings.  

A hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 7.

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ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Week 6 of the Missouri high school football season kicked off on Friday night.

You can find scores from all of your Mid-Missouri teams below, as well as highlights in the video player above.

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