Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A third person was charged in a shooting that occurred on Aug. 2 in Columbia.

Charges appeared on Wednesday for Montrez Ricketts, 47, of Columbia, which included first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Tuesday afternoon.

Chase Ricketts, 19, was charged Friday with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action. He is also being held at the jail without bond.

Mechoal Lewis, 52, of Columbia, was charged a few days after the shooting with first-degree assault, three counts of armed criminal action, two counts of illegal gun possession and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. He was indicted by a grand jury on Sept. 11 and an arraignment was held on Monday. He is also being held at the jail without bond.

Chase Ricketts was riding in the back seat while Lewis drove the day of the shooting, according to a probable cause statement. Police arrested him last week after serving a search warrant at Lakewood Apartments. Montrez Ricketts is accused of also being in the car, heavily redacted court documents say.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

It’s been nearly one year since a Stephens College student was shot and killed in downtown Columbia, and MU students differ on their feelings about warnings from the University of Missouri to avoid certain areas of downtown at night.

“Walking downtown at night, it can definitely vary based on the time of day,” said Aiden Howson-Lewis, a junior at MU. “I definitely see unhoused people around downtown no matter what. At night, I’m more aware.”

Howson-Lewis said he’s had a couple of negative interactions with homeless people that made him feel unsafe. One night, a person followed him down the street, and on a different night, he said another person ran after him yelling.

But those interactions don’t stop him from going downtown.

“If I’m going downtown, I prefer to be with a group, or I prefer to just make sure that if there’s like a girl in the group that I’m hanging out with, I’m walking with her if she’s going anywhere by herself,” Howson-Lewis said.

MU President Mun Choi is an advocate for an urban camping ordinance to reduce these interactions.

The downtown Columbia Community Improvement District, with the backing of nearly 80 businesses, asked the Columbia City Council to consider and research an urban camping ordinance that would outlaw sleeping in public. However, the council has not expressed interest in picking it up.

Choi has also publicly said that downtown is unsafe, especially in the area of East Walnut Street between Eighth and Tenth streets, which he calls the “danger zone.”

That area has been the scene of high-profile crimes. In late July, a large street brawl resulted in seven arrests. About two weeks later, in August, shots were fired in the same area. In September, a man assaulted a security guard in the same area as well.

Howson-Lewis said he doesn’t visit that area.

Raevynn Smith is a sophomore at MU who grew up nearby, and she said downtown crime is typical.

“It’s not too scary for me. It’s kind of just normal,” Smith said. “There’s nothing that really freaks me out about it besides the dark.”

When asked about the “danger zone,” she said avoiding an area won’t solve the problem, and that Columbia needs to focus on the homeless population.

“I think we have an issue here with our system when it comes to caring for unhoused people. I don’t see why adding to that fear of it will help them out any. It just makes it something to avoid rather than solve,” Smith said.

CID Executive Director Nickie Davis said she waited to submit the proposal until the Opportunity Campus, a homeless shelter at 1300 Bowling St., opened. Supporters hope unhoused people who are blocking the area in front of a downtown business will be referred to the Opportunity Campus.

MU sophomore Jocelyn Setley said she doesn’t go downtown often, but she doesn’t feel like she’s in danger.

“I’ve never felt super unsafe or anything. Obviously, there are people around, more homeless people around and stuff — but my interactions have always felt safe. I don’t know, I’ve never had to think twice about being super unsafe,” Setley said.

She said she has heard stories about shootings, but it’s not frequent enough to deter her from going downtown, especially since that’s not a place she goes often. Setley also said her friends don’t talk about feeling unsafe either.

Watch a special report on downtown crime Thursday on ABC 17 News at 6.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Warrenton Police Department arrested “multiple juveniles” on Monday after shots were fired at a gas station at Highway 47 and Interstate 70.

Lt. Jason Hanner of WPD told ABC 17 News that shots were fired at a Rocket gas station after youths met for a drug deal. Hanner did not say how many juveniles were detained.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office later shared on Facebook that a chase ensued around 2:34 p.m.

“The pursuit continued into a construction zone where the driver traveled on the shoulder of the roadway, drove between vehicles, and drove through orange construction cones blocking a new portion of Interstate 70 where construction work was underway,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “The Jeep eventually reached an unfinished section of roadway, became airborne, left the right side of the roadway, and became disabled.”

Two 17-year-old boys and a 14-year-old boy were eventually detained. No injuries were reported.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Absentee ballots for the November election were sent out Tuesday and county clerks across the state are informing voters they may want to wait to cast their ballots.

On Monday, the Eighth District Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the 2025 “Missouri First” congressional map, calling the 2022 map unconstitutional. People Not Politicians later filed an emergency appeal against the decision.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’s legal team later filed a request for the emergency appeal to be repealed.

Earlier this month, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins ordered all election officials to use the 2022 map under the Missouri Supreme Court. The order has continued to be followed by local clerks’ offices amid federal litigation on the maps.

The Eighth District Court issued an amended permanent injunction on Tuesday stating the 2025 “Missouri First” map must be used for the November election.

“The Court administratively stays its permanent injunction until” 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28.

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“From rulings and decisions and guidance from the Secretary of State’s office, we’re using the 2022 congressional maps for our ballots, and so that’s what voters see if they look at their sample ballots or if they come in person to vote absentee,” Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said.

Lennon adds that at least one military ballot has been sent back to the county since they were mailed out on Sept. 18. Absentee voting started on Tuesday.

County clerks ABC 17 New spoke with have been using the 2022 map for military and some absentee ballots. Most are also reminding voters that current lawsuits may affect their vote.

“At this time, there is federal litigation that we are tracking that may impact which congressional districts Boone County voters will see on their ballot. We expect that the litigation will be resolved by September 28. In the meantime, absentee voting is available in person at the County Clerk’s Office and by mail, but we do want to caution voters that they may wish to wait until the litigation is resolved to cast their ballot,” a note on the Boone County Clerk’s website says.

Affected mid-Missouri counties that may see districts change between maps include Audrain, Boone, Cole, Cooper, Gasconade, Howard, Johnson, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Morgan, Osage, Pettis, Randolph, Saline and Moniteau.

“We expect that the litigation will be resolved by September 28th. In the meantime, absentee voting is available in person at the County Clerk’s Office and by mail, but we do want to caution voters that they may wish to wait until the litigation is resolved to cast their ballot, as once a ballot has been cast, another one may not be issued,” Maries County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers said in a Facebook post.

Johnson County Clerk Diane Thompson is also informing voters of current litigation, adding that voters who have not marked or sent in their absentee ballot can receive an updated ballot if maps change.

“We have approximately 100 mail in absentee ballots going out in today’s mail,” Thompson said in a statement. “If voters come in to absentee vote in person we are explaining the ongoing litigation and letting them decide whether or not to go ahead and vote.”

Thompson later explained in a comment that overseas military voters who reached out through the MOvotes portal were also notified of the ongoing litigation.

Saline County’s requested absentee ballots are set to go out after Sept. 28, according to County Clerk Brittni Burton. The county has not received any overseas ballots.

Gasconade County Clerk, Lesa Lietzow said that the 2022 map was used for military and absentee ballots, with official ballots on hold.

“Official ballots for election day are not yet printed as a result of pending litigation,” Lietzow said.

Osage County Clerk Brooke Dudenhoeffer said that absentee voting has been paused until further notice and that no ballots have been mailed.

“We will wait until further notice as to which map to use for the General Election,” Dudenhoeffer said.

Howard County Clerk, Shelly Howell, said that she has told vendors to print the 2022 map, which may face difficulties if the map changes.

“I do not have the ability to print ballots in house. I have to have them printed by a vendor which slows the process down,” Howell said.

The 2025 “Missouri First Map” was passed by the General Assembly in 2024 through House Bill 1. The map would give Republicans a potential 7-1 advantage in Missouri’s congressional delegation by splitting up the 5th District in Kansas City into three and stretching them across the state.

Lennon adds that further federal guidence will be needed for clerks if the map changes to the 2025 map.

“We would have to petition a court in Missouri to clarify what the processes for that. I would imagine that would be that we would still count the rest of the ballot, but the congressional district vote would not count,” Lennon said. “They can’t be redone, but in terms of counting everything else that’s on the ballot, that’d be something that we’ll need to get guidance from.”

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Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council directed city staff Monday night to examine whether the city can legally delay demolition permits involving properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The council unanimously approved a motion requesting a staff memo or short report on the legality of creating an administrative delay. Staff members were asked to bring the information back by the council’s second meeting in October.

The vote does not establish a delay, and no new restrictions on demolition permits are currently in effect. The council would need to take additional action after reviewing the staff report.

First Ward Councilwoman Valerie Carroll introduced the proposal during council comments at the end of Monday’s meeting. Carroll said recent efforts to preserve Katy Station prompted the discussion, but she wants the city to consider protections for other historic properties that could face demolition.

Carroll initially suggested a delay of up to one year, but the motion approved Monday does not specify how long a potential delay would last. City staff will first examine what authority it has and how such a policy could legally operate.

Carroll said an administrative delay could provide additional time for private buyers, preservation groups or the city to explore alternatives before a historic property is demolished.

Katy Station, also known as the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad Depot, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and houses Shiloh Bar and Grill. A community group called Save Katy Station has been working to preserve the building.

During the council discussion, members also raised questions about which demolition applications currently receive a historic-preservation review and whether a delay should apply to every permit or only properties on the National Register.

The staff report is expected to address those questions before the council decides whether to pursue a new policy.

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Demetra Alarcon

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City Council’s rejection of rezoning for a permanent homeless shelter won’t stop a community group working on the project, according to a statement from Housing the Community Jefferson City.

Housing the Community released the statement after the city council voted 6-3 Monday night to reject rezoning for a homeless shelter.

The Jefferson City Council voted to block a measure that would have allowed Jefferson City Room at the Inn to convert a vacant building into a new resource center and emergency shelter.

While Housing the Community is disappointed in the council’s decision, leaders emphasize that the community’s need for these services remains unchanged.

“The City Council’s vote against our proposal for 107 Adams Street was disappointing, but it does not change our commitment or our goals,” Scott Johnston, Housing the Community board president, stated in a news release. “Housing the Community Jefferson City will continue working toward an expanded emergency shelter and a resource center where people experiencing homelessness — or at risk of becoming homeless — can connect with services, support, and a path toward stable housing. The need remains, regardless of what address ultimately becomes home to these programs.”

Moving forward, the organization said it will continue to work with municipal leaders.

As the search for a permanent site continues, Housing the Community will continue evaluating its options and asking the community to stay involved.

A special city task force on homelessness reported this spring that expanding shelter beds should be a city government priority.

In an interview with ABC 17 News, Johnston said that the group will continue to look for a permanent location.

“We will continue to look for an alternative location and to do what we have said in our mission statement, which is to, you know, is to do something for the situation of the unhoused in the Jeff City area,” said Johnston.

In an interview with ABC 17 News, Sarah Hamilton, chair of Jefferson City Room at the Inn, said that she was disappointed but not surprised by the council’s decision.

“We knew it was going to happen. But you still get your hopes up. You still hope that what you want to happen is going to happen. And so there’s a lot of disappointment there,” said Hamilton.

Moving forward, the Room at the Inn will continue to operate out of the First Baptist Church. Hamilton said that the main downside of this is that they can only house 20 people.

“Last year we learned that there were more than 20 people that needed our help. One night we turned away eight,” said Hamilton.

ABC 17 reached out to every council member for comment. Ward 5 councilmember Mackenzie Job was the only member who responded.

“There is much to learn from this failure and many harsh realities to consider when examining this situation from an outside perspective as well as, for me, introspectively. It was reiterated several different ways last night that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this issue that I personally believe is the result of a much larger societal failure in this day and age of an increasingly atomized society, severely diminished access to resources, and no shortage of greed and self-interest. Councilwoman Young’s statement last night eloquently and compassionately conveyed many of the sentiments I share in that we as city leaders could continue shaping a proposal without killing it. To me, this was a step toward progress, but I think people want to see “perfection,” even though we all seemed to mostly agree that no one really has a “perfect” solution. Many thoughtful comments have been shared throughout this process, so hopefully  all parties can make use of this feedback while continuing to work toward a different solution. When one door closes, there is always a window” Job said in a statement to ABC 17.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The ongoing saga over which congressional map Missouri will use for the November election takes a new turn after People Not Politicians filed an emergency appeal to the Eighth District Court of Appeals late Monday night.

This comes after the Eighth District Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the state’s current plan to use the 2022 congressional map in the November election violates the U.S. Constitution. PNP’s emergency motion for appeal is the next move in the battle, arguing that the ruling conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court’s order.

PNP’s emergency appeal lists three independent grounds to keep the 2022 map. The first ground states that the court violates the Supreme Court’s stay. On Sept. 8, the Supreme Court stayed the district court’s temporary restraining order, preserving the 2022 map. That order, issued by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark in St. Louis, blocked the state from using the 2022 congressional map.

The second ground listed in the emergency appeals reads that the district court and the circuit court lacked jurisdiction. The appeal says the court made a request by asserting the case could only be decided by a three-judge court; no law supports the court’s conclusion.

The final ground listed is that lower courts should ordinarily not alter election rules on the eve of an election, as voting has already begun.

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Last week, county clerks warned that it is too late to change the ballots to anything else. Military and overseas ballots have already been sent out, while absentee voting starts Tuesday.

Monday’s ruling also states that the district court “should administratively stay its permanent injunction until Sept. 28, 2026, at 5 p.m. Central Daylight Time. Without any stay, Secretary Hoskins and local election authorities would be required to immediately begin implementing the 2025 map before the Supreme Court receives or decides any appeal.”

Richard von Glahn, Executive Director for People Not Policitians, told ABC 17 News that the district court holding its decision was wise. “I think wisely stayed their own decision until next Tuesday,” said von Glahn. “Missourians that have already voted, that are planning on voting this week, that are getting their ballots in the mail, should feel very confident voting, knowing that those maps are going to be the maps that are ultimately found to be legal and in place for the election.”

Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon told ABC 17 News that her office is still printing ballots based on the 2022 map and is awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court.

The 2025 map was approved by Republicans in the General Assembly at the urging of the White House to squeeze another GOP House seat into the Missouri congressional map. The 2025 map splits up Kansas City’s Fifth District into three other districts that extend into rural Missouri.

The group People Not Politicians, which sued and led a petition drive to keep the 2025 map from going into effect, vowed to file an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council unanimously passed the fiscal year 2027 budget during its Monday night meeting.

The city will begin spending its allocated $606 million when the fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Documentation from the city shows the largest portion of spending is allocated to utilities at $304.8 million, while transportation will see $81.3, public safety receiving $68.4 million and “supporting activities” having $67.1 million.

Information about the budget on the city’s website did not appear to show potential money from the recently approved 1% public safety sales tax. That tax was narrowly approved by voters in August and will start on Jan. 1.

The city expected to have $581.5 million in revenue. Previous reporting states the city also anticipates $48.2 million in capital improvement projects that are not covered in operating expenditures. The city’s total operating expenditures are $558.4 million, per previous reporting.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 48-year-old St. Joseph man died in a crash involving a motorcycle at around 7:30 p.m. Monday in Cooper County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced that it was investigating a two-vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near mile marker 99.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek, driven by a 29-year-old woman from Seattle, Washington, was behind a 2014 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide driven by a 48-year-old man from St. Joseph when the motorcycle overturned.

The motorcyclist was ejected off the bike, and the woman hit the man. The Subaru came to a controlled stop in the right lane. The report states the man was pronounced dead at the scene just before 8 p.m.

According to the report, the man was wearing a DOT-approved helmet at the time of the crash.

The report states the woman was not hurt.

The Subaru had minor damage, while the motorcycle was totaled.

The Missouri Department of Transportation wrote on its Traveler Map that the crash was reported at 8 p.m. and the road was expected to be closed for about three hours in total.

MSHP wrote that traffic is backed up for about two miles, but the Traveler Map also showed traffic slowing down in the westbound lanes as vehicles approach the crash area.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced in a Monday press release that people may have been exposed to measles at Busch Stadium and other areas of St. Louis.

The release did not state how many people with measles were in the reported areas. It also did not state if it was related to another exposure that occurred at a train station in Sedalia last month.

According to the DHSS, possible exposures occurred at:

Sept. 12 3:30-7:50 p.m. The Cat’s Meow-Soulard 2600 S. 11th St., St. Louis Sept. 12 6-11:30 p.m. Busch Stadium,Seated in Section 141 700 Clark Ave., St. Louis Sept. 12 9:30 p.m.-close Paddy O’s 618 S. 7th St., St. Louis Sept. 13 11:30 a.m.-unknown Little Ireland 125 N. 1st St., Pacific Sept. 13 6:30 p.m.-unknown B & H Market 2244 W. Osage St., Pacific Sept. 13 8 p.m.- close Pacific Brew Haus 220 S. 1st. St., Pacific Sept. 14 3-5:15 p.m. Goodcents 173 Long Rd., Chesterfield Sept. 14 5:30-7:45 p.m. Bud’s Market 312 E. Osage St., Pacific

The DHSS says those who may have been exposed should look for symptoms for 21 days from the date of exposure. People who think they may have measles should contact their healthcare provider.

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