Latest news with #WichitaPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Wichita police boost security as Riverfest kicks off downtown
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — As Riverfest prepares to welcome thousands downtown starting Friday, Wichita police are ramping up security to keep festivalgoers safe during the nine-day event. The Wichita Police Department says it will deploy a full range of resources, including its SWAT team, bomb squad, K-9 units, drones, mounted officers, and traffic patrols. Spotters will also monitor crowds from elevated positions, while drones will help track activity from above. 19-year-old charged with murder of pregnant Wichita woman 'We're going to have SWAT down there, we're going to have the bomb squad down there, K-9's, the drones, the mounted unit, traffic officers—so everything we can do to provide as much security as we can and to make everyone feel as safe and as comfortable as they can down there,' said WPD Lieutenant Stephanie Neal. Neal said officers are prepared for a variety of scenarios, including those that have become increasingly common at large gatherings worldwide. 'Given the climate and everything that's happening not only in the United States but across the world—where people are driving through crowds at events, there are active shooters at events—we try to plan as much as we can and as best as we can in the event any of those events would occur here,' she said. Police emphasize that public awareness remains key. 'If they do see something that makes them uncomfortable, that they think is suspicious… we encourage them to go report that to a police officer so we can address that,' Neal said. Riverfest attendees should expect to pass through metal detectors at the gates to both the main festival area and the carnival. No weapons or pocketknives will be allowed inside the event footprint, and backpacks and wagons will be subject to search. 'Keep your weapons at home… Don't leave any valuables in your car, especially not in plain sight,' Neal warned. Many of the officers working at Riverfest are doing so on an off-duty, overtime basis, paid for by the festival. Neal noted this helps maintain regular police coverage for the rest of the city during the event. 'So officers sign up and they get assigned to those positions… We try not to pull from any on-duty officers because we don't want to use resources that should go to the rest of the community,' she said. Neal had one final message for festivalgoers: 'Just have fun and stay safe out there.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Wichita police investigating fatal shooting of pregnant 20-year-old
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita Police Department is investigating a shooting that left a pregnant 20-year-old woman dead early Sunday morning. Just before 4:30 a.m., officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 700 block of S. Laura St. When they arrived, they found 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby of Wichita suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to a local hospital, where she later died. Doctors were able to deliver her baby. Police arrested a 19-year-old man at the scene. He is known to the victim and is facing a charge of first-degree murder. The investigation is ongoing. If anyone has any information, they are asked to call detectives at 316-268-4407 or contact Crime Stoppers by calling 316-267-2111, submitting a tip online, or submitting a tip through their mobile app, which is available through Google Play and Apple's App Store. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
WPD cracks down on street racing; arrests made, spectators fined
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Wichita Police Department is stepping up its efforts to curb illegal street racing and stunt riding after a recent operation disrupted a large-scale event involving more than 50 vehicles and over 100 spectators. According to Captain Aaron Moses, officers intervened during a planned street race in Wichita, arresting two drivers—one of them a juvenile—and impounding their vehicles. Police also issued more than a dozen citations to people who were gathered to watch, citing a city ordinance that penalizes spectators of illegal races. Fines for attending or encouraging such events can reach up to $1,500. Wichita 2-way conversion of Main St. is finished 'We've heard from the community that this is something that frustrates everybody. It frustrates us as well. It's also illegal and it's dangerous,' Moses said. The enforcement action was part of a targeted response by the department based on growing concerns from residents and past assessments of internal police practices. Moses said that the department is not only cracking down on illegal racing but also listening more closely to the community's concerns and responding with visible enforcement. He added that Wichita has designated areas near the city where people can legally participate in racing activities and encouraged residents to use those spaces instead of public roads. 'This is an example of us listening to the community about things that concern them and taking direct action,' Moses said. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man in critical condition after motorcycle crash
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A man is in critical condition after a motorcycle crash in south Wichita Thursday evening. It happened shortly after 5:30 p.m. near Harry Street and Wichita Street, near McLean and Broadway. According to the Wichita Police Department, the crash was between a pickup truck and a motorcycle. The motorcyclist was transported to an area hospital in 'a critical state,' but his current condition is unknown. 'We're still, obviously, investigating the cause of the accident,' WPD Sergeant Clayton Schuler said. 'We're getting the scene set up. We have detectives arriving on scene. Our CAT team's arriving to establish all that.' The driver of the pickup truck is cooperating with the police. 'We have a couple of witnesses who observed the accident, and we're also checking for any video in the area that may have caught it,' Schuler said. Police plan on having the area shut down for at least an hour or two, depending on the motorcyclists' condition. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man pleads guilty in deadly Wichita shooting spree
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Wichita man who went on a deadly shooting rampage in November pleaded guilty Tuesday morning. Jose Acosta, 33, had been charged with 11 crimes, including first-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and five other counts. On Nov. 22, 2024, officers from the Wichita Police Department responded to several crimes that happened in less than an hour: 8:49 p.m. – Myron Tucker, 40, was fatally shot near 13th Street and Main Street. 8:52 p.m. – Officers responded to a shooting report near 13th Street and Broadway. Two people riding bicycles told officers that they had heard gunshots initially coming from Main Street but also from the south. Officers headed to 14th Street and Otis Avenue, where they encountered a man who pistol-whipped one of the bicyclists, pointed his gun at another bicyclist, and stole his bicycle. 8:56 p.m. – The suspect shot at a home in the 1400 block of N. Otis while he was walking with the stolen bicycle. A man who was inside the home was narrowly missed, but his dog was shot. Police then heard gunshots coming from the direction of Broadway. 9:16 p.m. – Officers were flagged down by a man who said that someone on a bicycle tried to carjack him. The man was able to drive off, but the suspect shot at him, and one bullet managed to strike his headrest. 9:20 p.m. – Police heard gunshots coming from 11th Street and Broadway, where they determined the suspect shot at another person who ran off. After that, the suspect went across the street to a convenience store, where he confronted a woman and shot at her. Officers heard the gunshots and drove to the location. 9:26 p.m. – Officers got out of their vehicle and told the suspect to get on the ground several times. Instead of getting on the ground, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handgun. Officers told the suspect to drop the gun and get on the ground, but he pointed the gun at officers. Police shot the man, striking him several times. Acosta had critical injuries. After he was released from the hospital, he was charged. Wichita police involved in standoff with a man overnight On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to: Second-degree murder, Aggravated robbery, Criminal discharge of a firearm, Attempted aggravated robbery, and Two counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer. Judge Tyler Roush scheduled sentencing for Aug. 1. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
