Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The state of Missouri has submitted a waiver to cut “unhealthy” foods from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Office announced Monday in a press release.

Kehoe signed an executive order on Monday to tell the state’s Department of Social Services to submit the waiver, joining a growing number of states including Iowa, Colorado, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

States have submitted waivers in an effort to cut soda, candy, chips and other foods typically viewed as not-healthy.

“Healthy and nutritionally secure Missouri families are critical to supporting a path to self-sufficiency and, ultimately, a thriving state,” Kehoe said in the release. “Under the Trump administration, states are taking action to ensure that taxpayer dollars are better used to promote healthy, nutritious food purchases. With approximately $1.5 billion in annual SNAP benefits issued in Missouri, we must refocus our SNAP program to maximize nutritional health for families while also supporting the abundant agricultural output of our state.”

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police say in court documents that the 23-year-old Florida man who opened fire early Saturday in downtown Columbia, killing a woman, shot 11 times into a crowd as he walked from the scene.

Court documents show that 23-year-old Misael Covarrubias has been charged with three counts of assault, three counts of armed criminal action and a count of unlawful use of a weapon. Covarrubias is suspected in the deadly shooting of Stephens College student Aiyanna Williams that injured two others.

According to court documents, Columbia police arrived at the 800 block of East Broadway at around 1:42 a.m. Saturday and found three victims with gunshot wounds. One person was in critical condition. Officers also found 11 spent 9mm bullet casings between Eighth Street and Ninth Street.

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Covarrubias was spotted by officers running away and putting a pistol in his waistband, the probable cause statement says. When questioned, Covarrubias reportedly told officers that people ganged up on him, causing him to fire warning shots. Covarrubias initially said the warning shots were fired at the ground, but later admitted to firing with his arm straight out, the statement says.

When asked who he was shooting at, Covarrubias allegedly said he didn’t know; he also admitted to having three drinks before the shooting.

A fourth victim who was not injured later spoke to police and alleged that prior to the shooting, Covarrubias grabbed a woman the victim was with by the waist. The victim later told Covarrubias to get off of her with Covarrubias allegedly pushing him, walking away and then shooting in his direction.

The shooting prompted University of Missouri System President Mun Choi to call for action to reduce crime in Columbia and Mayor Barbara Buffaloe to call for a special task force.

Covarrubias also stated he was born in Florida and has been living in Columbia for around five months.

Covarrubias’ next hearing is set for Oct. 7 at 1 p.m.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A crash Sunday night has led to closed lanes on Interstate 70 east of Columbia.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has closed the eastbound and westbound passing lanes at mile marker 134, according to a news release. Repairs are expected to wrap up by Monday evening, MoDOT says.

The crash Sunday night damaged the barrier wall between the two sides of the interstate, the release says. MoDOT didn’t give any other details about the crash.

Backups are expected, MoDOT says.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 59-year-old woman was seriously hurt in a UTV crash Sunday night in Morgan County.

According to online crash records, the Overland Park, Kansas, woman was driving a 2020 Yamaha Viking UTV when she lost control on Viewside Drive near Memory Lane. In a turn, the UTV travelled off the side of the road, overturned and hit a ditch just after 6:30 p.m.

The woman was taken to University Hospital by helicopter.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

University of Missouri System President Mun Choi held a news conference Monday morning to talk about crime in Columbia after a Stephens College student died over the weekend from a gunshot wound.

Watch the playback in the player.

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Matthew Sanders

President Donald Trump said he will send U.S. soldiers into another American city, this time to protect ICE facilities “under siege” by “domestic terrorists.”

Trump announced his plans Saturday in a social media post that called Portland, Oregon, “war ravaged.” The White House didn’t provide details.

Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles in June and to Washington, DC, last month. He has also threatened to send troops to other cities, including Chicago, Baltimore and Memphis, Tennessee.

Should Trump send troops into Portland? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Stephens College student who was critically wounded in a shooting early Saturday in downtown Columbia has died, the college said Sunday.

Aiyanna Williams was shot while downtown with friends, a college spokesperson wrote. Williams was declared brain dead after being rushed to University Hospital.

“While Aiyanna’s body is being maintained on artificial support, this is solely to allow time for organ donation in accordance with her wishes,” the release states. “We honor Aiyanna’s life and the generosity of this final act of giving as we grieve this profound loss.”

Stephens will hosted a gathering of family and friends at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the college’s Firestone Baars Chapel. Some community leaders in attendance included Stephens College President Dr. Shannon Lundeen, MU President Mun Choi, Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, and Columbia Police Depart Chief Jill Schlude.

“She’s not only part of our Stephens College community, but she is born and raised in Columbia and so we had leaders come out not just because this was a college student who was a victim of senseless violence, but it was one of our own. She is a daughter of Columbia,” Dr. Lundeen said.

Media was not allowed inside the service, but Reverend Gray said he, along with Williams’ mother, former teammates, volleyball coach and others all took the podium to share heartfelt memories of Williams.

Williams friends said she lived her life with purpose and compassion.

“She wanted to help people, she wanted to spread the gospel, make sure everyone knew about Jesus and she wanted to pour into people,” said Amari Branch-Autman, a close friend of Williams.

“We grieve deeply with her family, friends, teammates, and classmates,”Lundeen said in the news release. “This tragedy is not only a profound personal loss for our community but also a sobering reminder of the senseless gun violence that plagues our country. We must honor Aiyanna’s legacy by holding one another close and continuing the fight for a safer, more compassionate world.”

Williams was a nursing student who had played volleyball at Stephens. She was a graduate of Battle High School who was attending the college on full scholarship, the release states.

“She was a full-ride scholarship, full cost of attendance. So she was not paying anything, she wasn’t even paying fees and that’s also a testament not only to her grit, but to her confidence and her capability,” Dr. Lundeen said.

The memorial service brought together students, faculty, and loved ones who shared stories and memories celebrating Williams’ life while mourning a loss felt deeply across the community.

“I believe she would have wanted it this way. It was celebratory. We shared so many good moments and so many good memories,” Erica Dickson, Columbia Public School Board Member said.

The attendees said that moving on from this incident they hope for healing.

“It’s hard to say what I ant to see in the immediate moments,” Dickson said. “I would want to see us cherish the moments that we have together and just love on each other again. We don’t know how many of those moments we have,”

Stephens College President said Williams’ family is planning a funeral service for October 11, though details are still being finalized.

Sources also tell ABC 17 News that Williams’closest friends and family held a private honor walk before Sunday’s memorial. Her body will be transported to Kansas City, where she be an organ donor.

The Columbia Police Department said 23-year-old Misael Covarrubias, of Fellsmere, Florida, was involved in an argument near Ninth and Broadway early Saturday when he pulled out a gun and fired multiple times. He was arrested and appeared on the Boone County Jail roster Saturday evening without bond.

The people he was arguing with were not hit. Instead, three bystanders, a man and two women, were caught in the gunfire. Williams was one of them.

Covarrubias was arrested on charges of three counts of first-degree assault, three counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

The shooting happened on the University of Missouri’s homecoming weekend. UM System President Mun Choi wrote a letter to Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe on Saturday, urging action to curb crime. Buffaloe highlighted the city’s current efforts and plans to increase safety in the future.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

University of Missouri President Mun Choi, in an email obtained by ABC 17 News, called on Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe to address violent crime, warning that if action isn’t taken, he will elevate the issue to Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Buffaloe, in response, listed actions the city government and Columbia Police Department have taken and plan to take.

Choi’s email — sent Saturday afternoon, just hours after a downtown shooting that left a bystander dead — was addressed to public officials, including Buffaloe, Columbia’s City Manager De’Carlon Seewood and Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Roger Johnson.

Choi claimed that crime in downtown Columbia has reached a crisis point and poses a risk for MU students, who are frequently downtown. Choi also identified one of the people injured in the Saturday morning shooting as a Stephens College student. Stephens College didn’t immediately respond to inquiries Sunday morning.

“Many community members and business leaders have shared these concerns with you. There’s been too much complacency and it’s time for you to act,” Choi wrote in the email.

Columbia police responded to the shooting just before 2 a.m. Saturday in the 900 block of East Broadway.

CPD said 23-year-old Misael Covarrubias of Fellsmere, Florida, was involved in an argument near Ninth and Broadway when he pulled out a gun and fired multiple times. He was arrested and appeared on the Boone County Jail roster Saturday evening without bond.

He is charged with three counts of assault, three counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, CPD said in a press release Sunday afternoon.

The release said Covarrubias’ charges won’t change unless any of the victims’ life statuses changes.

The people he was arguing with were not hit. Instead, three bystanders, a man and two women, were caught in the gunfire. One of them, Aiyanna Williams, was later pronounced brain dead.

CPD said Williams remains on artificial life support as of Sunday afternoon.

Choi’s email praised the Columbia Police Department; however, Choi also asked for an “honest examination” of current policies. The email adds that University of Missouri Police Chief Brian Weimer will offer all available staff to patrol downtown.

Choi listed immediate actions that should be taken during “this period of emergency:”    •    More policing in downtown – give CPD the necessary resources and support.    •    Hiring of more security officers.    •    Elimination of policies and practices that attract criminals to the region.    •    Passing of a loitering ordinance.    •    Cleanup of encampments.    •    Prosecution to the full extent of the law for crimes.

The email was also sent to several other Columbia and Boone County officials, including Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude and Boone County Commissioner Kip Kendrick. Choi emphasized that addressing the issue would take a collective effort from city and county agencies, the university and local businesses, asking for the creation of a task force to improve public safety.

“We cannot wait to have another tragic outcome due to complacency, delays and indecision,” Choi said.

The email includes an ultimatum, stating that if no action is taken by 5 p.m. Sunday, Choi will turn to Kehoe’s office for support.

Buffaloe responded to Choi on Saturday, thanking him for the message and saying downtown safety is an issue she takes seriously. ABC 17 News obtained her response Sunday.

Buffaloe also praised the city’s efforts in public safety, adding that there have not been any shooting incidents downtown since June 8. She wrote that CPD added eight officers to night patrols, a 20% increase in staffing since last summer.

The response also mentioned the city’s plans to focus on daytime issues, including the public’s interactions with homeless people.

Buffaloe announced on Facebook the creation of a task force Saturday, requesting that Schlude be contacted for coordinating resources.

The last crime task force in the city was created over 10 years ago in 2013. The people on the task force researched for over a year before presenting their findings in 2014.

There were four main things the task force found that would lower crime rates in the city.

Make people aware of resources

Create safe spaces for youth

Create trust between law enforcement and the community

Hold high risk offenders accountable

She also called on local legislators to address systemic issues that relate to public safety.

“I would like to engage our state legislators in a conversation about gun control, since many of these incidents involve firearms — including individuals illegally in possession of them. This is an area where state-level action could provide crucial support to our local efforts,” Buffaloe said in an email.

“Keeping Columbia safe requires collaboration, transparency, and a shared commitment to action. I look forward to working together with our partners to ensure our community remains a safe and welcoming place for residents, students, and visitors alike,” Buffaloe’s post read.

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Marie Moyer

EDITOR’S NOTE: References to initiative petition reform, which will go before voters, have been removed.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A bill from September’s special session is up for Gov. Mike Kehoe’s signature in a closed-door signing Sunday.

A new congressional map, dubbed the “Missouri First” map, is ready to be signed. The map splits Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Fifth District in Kansas City into three. This will merge it with more rural and republican areas, likely removing Cleaver’s seat and giving the Republican Party a boost in the next election.

Critics argue the new district lines divide communities and limit voters’ ability to choose their own representatives. Several lawsuits have also popped up against the state, arguing against the validity of the special session.

Supporters of the map argue it strengthens Missouri’s republican voice.

“Missouri’s conservative, common-sense values should be truly represented at all levels of government, and the Missouri First Map delivers just that,” Kehoe said in a statement.

After being signed, the new congressional map will go into effect for the 2026 election cycle.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 13-year-old girl from Fulton, and a Martinsburg woman were seriously injured in a motorcycle crash in Callaway County Saturday afternoon.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the crash happened around 1 p.m. on Route O at County Road 491. The report says the 26-year-old lost control of a 2016 Harley Davidson Switchback, causing the bike to go off the side of the road.

The motorcycle went partially down a hill and flipped over onto its side, the report says.

Both the woman and girl were taken to University Hospital with serious injuries.

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