NEW YORK (AP) — Another rout hit Wall Street Friday, with formerly high-flying technology stocks again taking the brunt, after a highly anticipated update on the U.S. job market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">came in weak enough</a>&nbsp;to add to worries about the economy.

The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.7% to close out its worst week since March 2023. Broadcom, Nvidia and other tech companies led the market lower as worries continue that their prices soared too high in the boom around artificial intelligence, and they dragged the Nasdaq composite down by a market-leading 2.6%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 410 points, or 1%, after erasing a morning gain of 250 points.

Sharp swings also hit the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled, recovered and then fell again after the jobs report showed U.S. employers hired fewer workers in August than economists expected. It was billed as the most important jobs report of the year, and it showed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">second straight month</a>&nbsp;where hiring came in below forecasts. It also followed recent reports showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-employment-fed-inflation-growth-aa764f4e90e3a90e892ba3fe5f649031">weakness in manufacturing</a>&nbsp;and some other areas in the economy.

Such a softening of the job market is actually just what the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, have been trying to get in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">stifle high inflation</a>, “but only to a certain extent and the data is now testing Chair Powell’s stated limits,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Friday’s data raised questions about how much the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">cut its main interest rate by</a>&nbsp;at its meeting later this month. The Fed is about to turn its focus more toward protecting the job market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-federal-reserve-interest-rates-consumers-4fe068e15d27fad11419e1cc6a8ed943">preventing a recession</a>&nbsp;after keeping the federal funds rate at a two-decade high for more than a year.

Cuts to interest rates can boost investment prices, but the worry on Wall Street is that the Fed may be moving too late. If a recession does hit, it would undercut corporate profits and erase the benefits from lower rates.

“All is not well with the labor market,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “The Fed wanted the labor market to come into better balance, but any balancing act is unstable.”

Still, the jobs report did include some encouraging data points. For one, the unemployment rate improved to 4.2% from 4.3% a month earlier. That was better than economists expected. And even if August’s hiring was weaker than forecast, it was still better than July’s pace.

Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s board of governors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20240906a.htm">said in a speech</a>&nbsp;after the jobs report’s release that “I believe we should be data dependent, but not overreact to any data point, including the latest data.”

“While the labor market has clearly cooled, based on the evidence I see, I do not believe the economy is in a recession or necessarily headed for one soon,” he said.

While Waller said he thinks a “series of reductions” to rates is appropriate given that a slowing job market now looks like the bigger threat for the economy than high inflation, he said the ultimate pace and depth of those cuts is still to be determined.

All the uncertainty sent Treasury yields on a wild ride in the bond market as traders tried to handicap the Fed’s next moves.

The two-year Treasury yield initially fell as low as 3.64% after the release of the jobs report, before quickly climbing back above 3.76%. It then dropped back to 3.66% following Waller’s comments, down from 3.74% late Thursday.

Wells Fargo Investment Institute’s Wren said he was surprised by the size of markets’ swings. While data has clearly shown a slowdown in the economy, he’s still forecasting growth to continue, “and it’s not the end of the world.” He cautioned investors against panicking and selling their investments in knee-jerk reactions.

Despite its dismal week, the S&amp;P 500 remains just 4.6% below its all-time high set in July. It’s also still up 13.4% for 2024 so far, which counts as a good year.

A big reason for Friday’s sharp drops was weakness for some big tech stocks that had been benefiting from the AI boom.

Broadcom tumbled 10.4% despite reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were above analysts’ forecasts, thanks in part to AI. The chip company said it expects to make $14 billion in revenue this quarter, which was slightly below analysts’ expectations of $14.11 billion, according to FactSet.

Other chip companies also fell, including a 4.1% drop for Nvidia. After soaring earlier this year as its revenue surged on the AI frenzy, Nvidia’s stock has been shaky since mid-July as investors question whether they took it too high. That’s even though Nvidia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-ai-earnings-stock-464d35670b6e91a698751ec7ee157532">continued to top analysts’ expectations</a>&nbsp;for growth.

“Earnings growth is going to slow from an incredibly high rate to something slower,” Wren said about Big Tech, “but it’s not going to be terrible.”

On the winning side of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which rose 4.3% after the CEO of rival Cleveland Cliffs told MSNBC that his company would still be interested in acquiring U.S. Steel if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steel-nippon-harris-trump-election-merger-3e277c0cea73efb80443c38b4ad6fde6">White House were to block its proposed sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel</a>.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 94.99 points to 5,408.42. The Dow dropped 410.34 to 40,345.41, and the Nasdaq composite lost 436.83 to 16,690.83.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584366201093.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Another rout hit Wall Street Friday, with formerly high-flying technology stocks again taking the brunt, after a highly anticipated update on the U.S. job market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">came in weak enough</a>&nbsp;to add to worries about the economy.The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.7% to close out its worst week since March 2023. Broadcom, Nvidia and other tech companies led the market lower as worries continue that their prices soared too high in the boom around artificial intelligence, and they dragged the Nasdaq composite down by a market-leading 2.6%.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 410 points, or 1%, after erasing a morning gain of 250 points.Sharp swings also hit the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled, recovered and then fell again after the jobs report showed U.S. employers hired fewer workers in August than economists expected. It was billed as the most important jobs report of the year, and it showed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">second straight month</a>&nbsp;where hiring came in below forecasts. It also followed recent reports showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-employment-fed-inflation-growth-aa764f4e90e3a90e892ba3fe5f649031">weakness in manufacturing</a>&nbsp;and some other areas in the economy.Such a softening of the job market is actually just what the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, have been trying to get in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">stifle high inflation</a>, “but only to a certain extent and the data is now testing Chair Powell’s stated limits,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.Friday’s data raised questions about how much the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">cut its main interest rate by</a>&nbsp;at its meeting later this month. The Fed is about to turn its focus more toward protecting the job market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-federal-reserve-interest-rates-consumers-4fe068e15d27fad11419e1cc6a8ed943">preventing a recession</a>&nbsp;after keeping the federal funds rate at a two-decade high for more than a year.Cuts to interest rates can boost investment prices, but the worry on Wall Street is that the Fed may be moving too late. If a recession does hit, it would undercut corporate profits and erase the benefits from lower rates.“All is not well with the labor market,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “The Fed wanted the labor market to come into better balance, but any balancing act is unstable.”Still, the jobs report did include some encouraging data points. For one, the unemployment rate improved to 4.2% from 4.3% a month earlier. That was better than economists expected. And even if August’s hiring was weaker than forecast, it was still better than July’s pace.Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s board of governors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20240906a.htm">said in a speech</a>&nbsp;after the jobs report’s release that “I believe we should be data dependent, but not overreact to any data point, including the latest data.”“While the labor market has clearly cooled, based on the evidence I see, I do not believe the economy is in a recession or necessarily headed for one soon,” he said.While Waller said he thinks a “series of reductions” to rates is appropriate given that a slowing job market now looks like the bigger threat for the economy than high inflation, he said the ultimate pace and depth of those cuts is still to be determined.All the uncertainty sent Treasury yields on a wild ride in the bond market as traders tried to handicap the Fed’s next moves.The two-year Treasury yield initially fell as low as 3.64% after the release of the jobs report, before quickly climbing back above 3.76%. It then dropped back to 3.66% following Waller’s comments, down from 3.74% late Thursday.Wells Fargo Investment Institute’s Wren said he was surprised by the size of markets’ swings. While data has clearly shown a slowdown in the economy, he’s still forecasting growth to continue, “and it’s not the end of the world.” He cautioned investors against panicking and selling their investments in knee-jerk reactions.Despite its dismal week, the S&amp;P 500 remains just 4.6% below its all-time high set in July. It’s also still up 13.4% for 2024 so far, which counts as a good year.A big reason for Friday’s sharp drops was weakness for some big tech stocks that had been benefiting from the AI boom.Broadcom tumbled 10.4% despite reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were above analysts’ forecasts, thanks in part to AI. The chip company said it expects to make $14 billion in revenue this quarter, which was slightly below analysts’ expectations of $14.11 billion, according to FactSet.Other chip companies also fell, including a 4.1% drop for Nvidia. After soaring earlier this year as its revenue surged on the AI frenzy, Nvidia’s stock has been shaky since mid-July as investors question whether they took it too high. That’s even though Nvidia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-ai-earnings-stock-464d35670b6e91a698751ec7ee157532">continued to top analysts’ expectations</a>&nbsp;for growth.“Earnings growth is going to slow from an incredibly high rate to something slower,” Wren said about Big Tech, “but it’s not going to be terrible.”On the winning side of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which rose 4.3% after the CEO of rival Cleveland Cliffs told MSNBC that his company would still be interested in acquiring U.S. Steel if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steel-nippon-harris-trump-election-merger-3e277c0cea73efb80443c38b4ad6fde6">White House were to block its proposed sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel</a>.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 94.99 points to 5,408.42. The Dow dropped 410.34 to 40,345.41, and the Nasdaq composite lost 436.83 to 16,690.83.

Wall Street falls sharply to close worst week in nearly 18 months

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

St. Joseph, Missouri Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.

The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for a life-threatening injury.

The department reports the man is in critical condition.

Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostSt. Joseph, Missouri Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for a life-threatening injury.The department reports the man is in critical condition.Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.

Man critically injured during non-criminal ride with police

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge agreed Friday to postpone Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case until after the November election, granting him a hard-won reprieve as he navigates the aftermath of his criminal conviction and the homestretch of his presidential campaign.

Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan, who is also weighing a defense request to overturn the verdict on immunity grounds, delayed Trump’s sentencing until Nov. 26, several weeks after the final votes are cast in the presidential election.

It had been scheduled for Sept. 18, about seven weeks before Election Day.

Merchan wrote that he was postponing the sentencing “to avoid any appearance — however unwarranted — that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate.”

“The Court is a fair, impartial, and apolitical institution,” he added.

Trump’s lawyers pushed for the delay on multiple fronts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25045300-20240814-letter-to-justice-merchan-re-sentencing-adjournment?responsive=1&amp;title=1">petitioning the judge</a>&nbsp;and asking a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-new-york-conviction-sentencing-8389e21c214b79220e6530a395a61192">federal court to intervene</a>. They argued that punishing the former president and current Republican nominee in the thick of his campaign to retake the White House would amount to election interference.

Trump’s lawyers argued that delaying his sentencing until after the election would also allow him time to weigh next steps after Merchan rules on the defense’s request to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-hush-money-new-york-conviction-b67bafcb92b287933c6e6d54fc122117">reverse his conviction and dismiss the case</a>&nbsp;because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s July&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-immunity-2dc0d1c2368d404adc0054151490f542">presidential immunity ruling</a>.

In his order Friday, Merchan delayed a decision on that until Nov. 12.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-new-york-immunity-a905207c7db9fc48d022d68ac6cc12e1">federal judge on Tuesday rejected Trump’s request</a>&nbsp;to have the U.S. District Court in Manhattan seize the case from Merchan’s state court. Had they been successful,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25081863-people-v-trump-federal-court-removal-notice?responsive=1&amp;title=1">Trump’s lawyers said</a>&nbsp;they would have then sought to have the verdict overturned and the case dismissed on immunity grounds.

Trump is appealing the federal court ruling.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which prosecuted Trump’s case, deferred to Merchan and did not take a position on the defense’s delay request.

Messages seeking comment were left for Trump's lawyers and the district attorney's office.

Election Day is Nov. 5, but many states allow voters to cast ballots early, with some set to start the process just a few days before or after the date Sept. 18.

Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels claims she and Trump had a sexual encounter a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.

Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him during his first presidential campaign. Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels and was later reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.

Trump maintains that the stories were false, that reimbursements were for legal work and logged correctly, and that the case — brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat — was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” aimed at damaging his current campaign.

Democrats backing their party’s nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, have made his conviction a focus of their messaging.

In speeches at the party’s conviction in Chicago last month, President Joe Biden called Trump a “convicted felon” running against a former prosecutor. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, labeled Trump a “career criminal, with 34 felonies, two impeachments and one porn star to prove it.”

Trump’s 2016 Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, inspired chants of “lock him up” from the convention crowd when she quipped that Trump “fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history: the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.”

Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years behind bars. Other potential sentences include probation, a fine or a conditional discharge, which would require Trump to stay out of trouble to avoid additional punishment. Trump is the first ex-president convicted of a crime.

Trump has pledged to appeal, but that cannot happen until he is sentenced.

In seeking the delay, Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove argued that the short time between the scheduled immunity ruling on Sept. 16 and sentencing, which was to have taken place two days later, was unfair to Trump.

To prepare for a Sept. 18 sentencing, the lawyers said, prosecutors would be submitting their punishment recommendation while Merchan is still weighing whether to dismiss the case. If Merchan rules against Trump, he would need “adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options,” they said.

The Supreme Court’s immunity decision reins in prosecutions of ex-presidents for official acts and restricts prosecutors in pointing to official acts as evidence that a president’s unofficial actions were illegal.

Trump’s lawyers argue that in light of the ruling, jurors in the hush money case should not have heard such evidence as former White House staffers describing how the then-president reacted to news coverage of the Daniels deal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713921168558.png" alt="-File Former President Donald Trump in court in April -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-File Former President Donald Trump in court in April -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A judge agreed Friday to postpone Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case until after the November election, granting him a hard-won reprieve as he navigates the aftermath of his criminal conviction and the homestretch of his presidential campaign.Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan, who is also weighing a defense request to overturn the verdict on immunity grounds, delayed Trump’s sentencing until Nov. 26, several weeks after the final votes are cast in the presidential election.It had been scheduled for Sept. 18, about seven weeks before Election Day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725651801837.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Merchan wrote that he was postponing the sentencing “to avoid any appearance — however unwarranted — that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate.”“The Court is a fair, impartial, and apolitical institution,” he added.Trump’s lawyers pushed for the delay on multiple fronts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25045300-20240814-letter-to-justice-merchan-re-sentencing-adjournment?responsive=1&amp;title=1">petitioning the judge</a>&nbsp;and asking a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-new-york-conviction-sentencing-8389e21c214b79220e6530a395a61192">federal court to intervene</a>. They argued that punishing the former president and current Republican nominee in the thick of his campaign to retake the White House would amount to election interference.Trump’s lawyers argued that delaying his sentencing until after the election would also allow him time to weigh next steps after Merchan rules on the defense’s request to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-hush-money-new-york-conviction-b67bafcb92b287933c6e6d54fc122117">reverse his conviction and dismiss the case</a>&nbsp;because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s July&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-immunity-2dc0d1c2368d404adc0054151490f542">presidential immunity ruling</a>.In his order Friday, Merchan delayed a decision on that until Nov. 12.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-new-york-immunity-a905207c7db9fc48d022d68ac6cc12e1">federal judge on Tuesday rejected Trump’s request</a>&nbsp;to have the U.S. District Court in Manhattan seize the case from Merchan’s state court. Had they been successful,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25081863-people-v-trump-federal-court-removal-notice?responsive=1&amp;title=1">Trump’s lawyers said</a>&nbsp;they would have then sought to have the verdict overturned and the case dismissed on immunity grounds.Trump is appealing the federal court ruling.The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which prosecuted Trump’s case, deferred to Merchan and did not take a position on the defense’s delay request.Messages seeking comment were left for Trump's lawyers and the district attorney's office.Election Day is Nov. 5, but many states allow voters to cast ballots early, with some set to start the process just a few days before or after the date Sept. 18.Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels claims she and Trump had a sexual encounter a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him during his first presidential campaign. Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels and was later reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.Trump maintains that the stories were false, that reimbursements were for legal work and logged correctly, and that the case — brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat — was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” aimed at damaging his current campaign.Democrats backing their party’s nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, have made his conviction a focus of their messaging.In speeches at the party’s conviction in Chicago last month, President Joe Biden called Trump a “convicted felon” running against a former prosecutor. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, labeled Trump a “career criminal, with 34 felonies, two impeachments and one porn star to prove it.”Trump’s 2016 Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, inspired chants of “lock him up” from the convention crowd when she quipped that Trump “fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history: the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.”Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years behind bars. Other potential sentences include probation, a fine or a conditional discharge, which would require Trump to stay out of trouble to avoid additional punishment. Trump is the first ex-president convicted of a crime.Trump has pledged to appeal, but that cannot happen until he is sentenced.In seeking the delay, Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove argued that the short time between the scheduled immunity ruling on Sept. 16 and sentencing, which was to have taken place two days later, was unfair to Trump.To prepare for a Sept. 18 sentencing, the lawyers said, prosecutors would be submitting their punishment recommendation while Merchan is still weighing whether to dismiss the case. If Merchan rules against Trump, he would need “adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options,” they said.The Supreme Court’s immunity decision reins in prosecutions of ex-presidents for official acts and restricts prosecutors in pointing to official acts as evidence that a president’s unofficial actions were illegal.Trump’s lawyers argue that in light of the ruling, jurors in the hush money case should not have heard such evidence as former White House staffers describing how the then-president reacted to news coverage of the Daniels deal.

Judge delays Trump’s criminal trial sentencing until after election

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka.

Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Western in Topeka on a report of an individual down, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.

First responders located a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene. 

Police have not released the man's name or reported any suspect details. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725645926163.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka.Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Western in Topeka on a report of an individual down, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.First responders located a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene. Police have not released the man's name or reported any suspect details. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.&nbsp;

Homicide: Man found with gunshot wound outside Kan. home

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian Grammy-winning musician whose hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global legend, has died after months battling the effects of long COVID. He was 83.

The death Thursday of the Brazilian pianist, songwriter, and arranger was confirmed in a statement by his family.

“His wife and musical partner for the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his side, as were his loving children,” the statement Friday said. “Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona.”

His composition “Mas que Nada” was one of the songs that helped popularize the Brazilian music genre bossa nova worldwide in the 1960s.

In 2006, a modern version of the song topped US charts, as performed by Black Eyed Peas. It was included in his album “Timeless,” produced by will.i.am and featuring Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake and the Black Eyed Peas, among others.

“Sergio Mendes was my brother from another country,” trumpet player Herb Alpert wrote on Facebook, along with a photo from decades ago, sitting next to Mendes at the piano. “He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance.”

Mendes also composed the soundtrack for the film “Pelé,” featuring saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, and even produced an album recorded by the Brazilian legendary soccer player.

Mendes won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album for “Brasileiro” and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Original Song for “Real in Rio,” from the animated film “Rio.”

Mendes’ family said they will provide details regarding funeral and memorial services at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725639746244.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian Grammy-winning musician whose hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global legend, has died after months battling the effects of long COVID. He was 83.The death Thursday of the Brazilian pianist, songwriter, and arranger was confirmed in a statement by his family.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BrZBiqK0p9E?si=8ZzHbneJR3-h1Vhh&amp;start=19" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“His wife and musical partner for the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his side, as were his loving children,” the statement Friday said. “Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona.”His composition “Mas que Nada” was one of the songs that helped popularize the Brazilian music genre bossa nova worldwide in the 1960s.In 2006, a modern version of the song topped US charts, as performed by Black Eyed Peas. It was included in his album “Timeless,” produced by will.i.am and featuring Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake and the Black Eyed Peas, among others.“Sergio Mendes was my brother from another country,” trumpet player Herb Alpert wrote on Facebook, along with a photo from decades ago, sitting next to Mendes at the piano. “He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance.”Mendes also composed the soundtrack for the film “Pelé,” featuring saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, and even produced an album recorded by the Brazilian legendary soccer player.Mendes won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album for “Brasileiro” and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Original Song for “Real in Rio,” from the animated film “Rio.”Mendes’ family said they will provide details regarding funeral and memorial services at a later date.

Sergio Mendes, Brazilian bossa nova legend, dies at 83

NABLUS, West Bank (AP) — Israeli soldiers killed an American woman participating in an anti-settlement protest in the West Bank on Friday, another protester who witnessed the shooting told The Associated Press. Two doctors said she was shot in the head.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the death of the 26-year-old woman but did not say whether she had been shot by Israeli troops. He said the U.S. was gathering more information about the circumstances of her death and would have “more to say.”

He and the doctors who treated her released the woman's name, but the activist organization she was volunteering with, the International Solidarity Movement, said her family had asked she not be identified.

The Israeli military said it was looking into reports that troops had killed a foreign national while firing at an “instigator of violent activity” in the area of the protest.

The woman who was fatally shot was attending a weekly demonstration against settlement expansion, protests that have grown violent in the past: A month ago, American citizen Amado Sison was shot in the leg by Israeli forces, he said, as he tried to flee tear gas and live fire.

Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli who was also participating in the protest, said the shooting occurred shortly after dozens of Palestinians and international activists held a communal prayer on a hillside outside the northern West Bank town of Beita overlooking the Israeli settlement of Evyatar.

Soldiers surrounded the prayer, and clashes soon broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and troops firing tear gas and live ammunition, Pollak said.

The protesters and activists, including Pollak and the woman, retreated from the hill and the clashes subdued, he said. He then watched as two soldiers standing on the roof of a nearby home trained a gun in the group’s direction and shot at them. He saw the flares leave the nozzle of the gun when the shots rang out. He said the woman was about 10 or 15 meters (yards) behind him when the shots were fired.

He then saw her “lying on the ground, next to an olive tree, bleeding to death,” he said.

Two doctors said she had been shot in the head — Dr. Ward Basalat, who administered first aid at the scene and Dr. Fouad Naffa, director of Rafidia Hospital in the nearby city of Nablus where she was taken.

“We tried to save the American citizen, we tried to revive the heart for several stages, but unfortunately, we did not succeed in restoring the heart to function,” Naffa told The AP, adding that she had severe bone fragmentation and damage to brain tissue.

Palestinian officials said the killing reflected how Israel has intensified its repression of Palestinian protests in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli forces rarely use live ammunition to put down protests inside Israel. But in the West Bank, Palestinian demonstrations are frequently met with live fire.

Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghals wrote on X that the “Israeli occupation wanted to kill for the sake of killing."

“A war of extermination in Gaza and a war in the West Bank that eats everything green,” he wrote. “It does not spare a child or any nationality.”

Hussein Al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, wrote on X that the killing marked “another crime added to the series of crimes committed daily by the occupation forces."

Settlements are overwhelmingly viewed by the international community as illegal under international law.

The settlement of Evyatar was initially an outpost unrecognized under Israeli law but was legalized by the Israeli cabinet last month, in a move the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said was in response to recognition of Palestinian statehood by a number of countries.

Israeli fire has killed over 690 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, attacks by Palestinian militants on Israelis in the territory have also increased.

NABLUS, West Bank (AP) — Israeli soldiers killed an American woman participating in an anti-settlement protest in the West Bank on Friday, another protester who witnessed the shooting told The Associated Press. Two doctors said she was shot in the head.U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the death of the 26-year-old woman but did not say whether she had been shot by Israeli troops. He said the U.S. was gathering more information about the circumstances of her death and would have “more to say.”He and the doctors who treated her released the woman's name, but the activist organization she was volunteering with, the International Solidarity Movement, said her family had asked she not be identified.The Israeli military said it was looking into reports that troops had killed a foreign national while firing at an “instigator of violent activity” in the area of the protest.The woman who was fatally shot was attending a weekly demonstration against settlement expansion, protests that have grown violent in the past: A month ago, American citizen Amado Sison was shot in the leg by Israeli forces, he said, as he tried to flee tear gas and live fire.Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli who was also participating in the protest, said the shooting occurred shortly after dozens of Palestinians and international activists held a communal prayer on a hillside outside the northern West Bank town of Beita overlooking the Israeli settlement of Evyatar.Soldiers surrounded the prayer, and clashes soon broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and troops firing tear gas and live ammunition, Pollak said.The protesters and activists, including Pollak and the woman, retreated from the hill and the clashes subdued, he said. He then watched as two soldiers standing on the roof of a nearby home trained a gun in the group’s direction and shot at them. He saw the flares leave the nozzle of the gun when the shots rang out. He said the woman was about 10 or 15 meters (yards) behind him when the shots were fired.He then saw her “lying on the ground, next to an olive tree, bleeding to death,” he said.Two doctors said she had been shot in the head — Dr. Ward Basalat, who administered first aid at the scene and Dr. Fouad Naffa, director of Rafidia Hospital in the nearby city of Nablus where she was taken.“We tried to save the American citizen, we tried to revive the heart for several stages, but unfortunately, we did not succeed in restoring the heart to function,” Naffa told The AP, adding that she had severe bone fragmentation and damage to brain tissue.Palestinian officials said the killing reflected how Israel has intensified its repression of Palestinian protests in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli forces rarely use live ammunition to put down protests inside Israel. But in the West Bank, Palestinian demonstrations are frequently met with live fire.Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghals wrote on X that the “Israeli occupation wanted to kill for the sake of killing."“A war of extermination in Gaza and a war in the West Bank that eats everything green,” he wrote. “It does not spare a child or any nationality.”Hussein Al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, wrote on X that the killing marked “another crime added to the series of crimes committed daily by the occupation forces."Settlements are overwhelmingly viewed by the international community as illegal under international law.The settlement of Evyatar was initially an outpost unrecognized under Israeli law but was legalized by the Israeli cabinet last month, in a move the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said was in response to recognition of Palestinian statehood by a number of countries.Israeli fire has killed over 690 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, attacks by Palestinian militants on Israelis in the territory have also increased.

White House: Israeli soldiers kill American woman during West Bank protest

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 7-hour standoff at a Kansas home.

Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

Deputies conducted interviews and received information confirming that Cook was inside the home. At 2:55pm deputies requested the assistance of a K9 from the Haysville police department to assist with clearing the residence. 

After the K9 cleared the residence, a team of Deputies entered the residence and believed Cook was locked in a bedroom. A K9 from the Wichita Police Department responded and remained outside the residence for the duration of the incident.

A sergeant and two deputies exited the residence and prepared to deploy chemical munitions into the bedroom to end the barricade. At 3:48pm, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times.

Two deputies returned fire. One deputy fired three rounds from a rifle and another fired five rounds from a handgun. Neither Cook nor the involved deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire.

The combined Wichita Police and Sedgwick County SWAT team and Wichita Police negotiators were activated at 4:03pm.

At 4:41pm, police negotiators contacted Cook by phone. Throughout the ensuing seven-hour negotiation Cook made multiple statements that this was his “last stand” and that he would shoot at officers if they made entry into the home. 

At 9:01pm, after negotiations deteriorated and continued threats by Cook, chemical munitions were deployed into the residence and SWAT operators heard gunshots inside.

Following the deployment of chemical munitions, Cook resumed communication with negotiators, who remained focused on achieving a peaceful resolution. While operators were preparing to introduce a second round of chemical munitions, peacefully surrendered at 11:33pm.

Cook has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested chargers that include three counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. 

This investigation is ongoing as detectives are currently serving a search warrant at the incident location to gather additional information. Cook’s charges may be updated as more information is gathered.

The Wichita Police Department does not typically release the names of arrested individuals until formal charges are filed. In this case, the suspect was arrested on an approved arrest warrant stemming from a charged case in Sedgwick County District Court. The warrant was for Failure to Appear and Contempt of Court stemming from an incident where&nbsp; Cook threatened to shoot bail bondsmen when they made an arrest attempt.

The facts of the incident that occurred Wednesday will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration by investigators from the Wichita Police Department ALERT team members.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725569911182.png" alt="-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 7-hour standoff at a Kansas home.Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725586579656.png" alt="Cook photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Cook photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies conducted interviews and received information confirming that Cook was inside the home. At 2:55pm deputies requested the assistance of a K9 from the Haysville police department to assist with clearing the residence. After the K9 cleared the residence, a team of Deputies entered the residence and believed Cook was locked in a bedroom. A K9 from the Wichita Police Department responded and remained outside the residence for the duration of the incident.A sergeant and two deputies exited the residence and prepared to deploy chemical munitions into the bedroom to end the barricade. At 3:48pm, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times.Two deputies returned fire. One deputy fired three rounds from a rifle and another fired five rounds from a handgun. Neither Cook nor the involved deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire.The combined Wichita Police and Sedgwick County SWAT team and Wichita Police negotiators were activated at 4:03pm.At 4:41pm, police negotiators contacted Cook by phone. Throughout the ensuing seven-hour negotiation Cook made multiple statements that this was his “last stand” and that he would shoot at officers if they made entry into the home. At 9:01pm, after negotiations deteriorated and continued threats by Cook, chemical munitions were deployed into the residence and SWAT operators heard gunshots inside.Following the deployment of chemical munitions, Cook resumed communication with negotiators, who remained focused on achieving a peaceful resolution. While operators were preparing to introduce a second round of chemical munitions, peacefully surrendered at 11:33pm.Cook has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested chargers that include three counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. This investigation is ongoing as detectives are currently serving a search warrant at the incident location to gather additional information. Cook’s charges may be updated as more information is gathered.The Wichita Police Department does not typically release the names of arrested individuals until formal charges are filed. In this case, the suspect was arrested on an approved arrest warrant stemming from a charged case in Sedgwick County District Court. The warrant was for Failure to Appear and Contempt of Court stemming from an incident where&nbsp; Cook threatened to shoot bail bondsmen when they made an arrest attempt.The facts of the incident that occurred Wednesday will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration by investigators from the Wichita Police Department ALERT team members.

Gunfight with deputies during standoff at Kansas home

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating child sex crimes and asking the public for additional information.

On September 3, the Kansas City Police Juvenile Section conducted an investigation into sexual crimes involving minors, which led to the&nbsp; requested charges of Attempted Child Kidnapping, Sexual Misconduct Involving a Child under 15 and Assault against 75-year-old Wesley McGlothlen, according to Kansas City Police.

McGlothen has lived in the Columbus Park area of Kansas City for a substantial amount of time.  The Juvenile Section is seeking public assistance in identifying any additional child victims of McGlothlen.&nbsp; He is in police custody.

If you have relevant information, please contact the Juvenile Section at 816-234-5150.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725563357410.png" alt="McGlothlen-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>McGlothlen-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating child sex crimes and asking the public for additional information.On September 3, the Kansas City Police Juvenile Section conducted an investigation into sexual crimes involving minors, which led to the&nbsp; requested charges of Attempted Child Kidnapping, Sexual Misconduct Involving a Child under 15 and Assault against 75-year-old Wesley McGlothlen, according to Kansas City Police.McGlothen has lived in the Columbus Park area of Kansas City for a substantial amount of time. The Juvenile Section is seeking public assistance in identifying any additional child victims of McGlothlen.&nbsp; He is in police custody.If you have relevant information, please contact the Juvenile Section at 816-234-5150.

KCPD searching for additional child victims after sexual misconduct arrest

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a July homicide have made an arrest.

Just after midnight July 20, police responded to a shooting in the 2900 block of Southwest Topeka Boulevard, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

&nbsp;Officers located a victim later identified as&nbsp; 31-year-old  Earon Cooper of Lawrence suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On Wednesday, police reported the arrest of 21-year-old Silas Kriner of Baldwin City, Kansas. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;1st Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery.

This incident is the Topeka Police Department’s 11th homicide investigation of 2024, according to Connell.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725543878330.png" alt="Kriner photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kriner photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a July homicide have made an arrest.Just after midnight July 20, police responded to a shooting in the 2900 block of Southwest Topeka Boulevard, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.&nbsp;Officers located a victim later identified as&nbsp; 31-year-old Earon Cooper of Lawrence suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.On Wednesday, police reported the arrest of 21-year-old Silas Kriner of Baldwin City, Kansas. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;1st Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery.This incident is the Topeka Police Department’s 11th homicide investigation of 2024, according to Connell.

Kansas man accused of murder during robbery in July

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — The father of the teenager accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">opening fire at a Georgia high school</a>, killing four people and wounding nine, has been arrested on various charges including second-degree murder, authorities said Thursday.

Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a social media post. No other details were immediately provided, but a news conference was planned for later in the day.

In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, while malice murder and felony murder carry a minimum sentence of life.

Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.

The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriff’s report obtained Thursday.

Conflicting evidence on the post's origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said she reviewed the report from May 2023 and found nothing that would have justified bringing charges at the time.

“We did not drop the ball at all on this,” Mangum told The Associated Press in an interview. “We did all we could do with what we had at the time.”

When a sheriff's investigator from neighboring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents’ separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father, who photographed him with a deer's blood on his cheeks.

“He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,” Colin Gray said according to a transcript obtained from the sheriff's office.

The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Colt Gray, then 13, “had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school tomorrow.” The threat was made on Discord, a social media platform popular with video gamers, according to the sheriff's office incident report.

The FBI's tip pointed to a Discord account associated with an email address linked to Colt Gray, the report said. But the boy said “he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner,” according to the investigator's report.

The interview transcript quotes the teen as saying: “I promise I would never say something where ...” with the rest of that denial listed as inaudible.

The investigator wrote that no arrests were made because of “inconsistent information” on the Discord account, which had profile information in Russian and a digital evidence trail indicating it had been accessed in different Georgia cities as well as Buffalo, New York.

The attack was&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-ee24f46a30d2426089b83bb2897dce4e">Newtown, Connecticut</a>;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-florida-gun-politics-school-boards-nikolas-cruz-44a0da3e406f0c487e5c0a6b0855ee2e">Parkland, Florida</a>; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active-shooter drills. But there has been little change to national gun laws.

Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed.

When the suspect slipped out of math class Wednesday, Lyela Sayarath figured her quiet classmate who recently transferred was skipping school again. But he returned later and wanted back into the room. Some students went to open the locked door but instead backed away.

“I’m guessing they saw something, but for some reason, they didn’t open the door,” Sayarath said.

The teen then opened fire in the hallway, authorities said.

Sayarath said she heard a barrage of 10 to 15 gunshots. The students fell to the floor and crawled in search of a safe corner to hide.

Two school resource officers confronted the shooter within minutes after the gunshots were reported, Hosey said. The teen immediately surrendered.

Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.

He has been charged in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.

At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder — were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how the suspect obtained the gun and got it into the school of roughly 1,900 students in a rapidly developing area on the edge of metro Atlanta’s ever-expanding sprawl.

It was the 30th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-mass-killings-list-14a356281ba8da1d72931cd6f56c41ba">mass killing</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. so far this year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.

Prior cases have emerged in which someone who was once on the FBI's radar but was not arrested went on to commit violence.

A month before Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at the Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018, the bureau received a warning that he had been talking about committing a mass shooting. The FBI also investigated a tip about the person later convicted in a deadly 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado.

The pattern underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in trying to determine when concerning behavior crosses into a crime. Investigators sift through tens of thousands of tips every year to try to determine which could yield a viable threat. Cases such as the Georgia school shooting prompt fresh questions about whether more intensive investigative work might have averted the violence.

The sheriff's report says investigator Daniel Miller spoke to the boy and his father May 21, 2023. The father said his son had access to guns in the house.

“I mean they aren't loaded, but they are down,” Gray's father said, according to the interview transcript.

He described a photo on his cellphone from a recent hunting trip with his son: "You see him with blood on his cheeks from shooting his first deer.” Gray's father called it “the greatest day ever.”

The teen told Miller he stopped using Discord a few months earlier after his account got hacked.

“I gotta take you at your word and I hope you’re being honest with me,” Miller replied.

A phone number associated with the account was linked to a different person in another Georgia city, the report said. The account's profile name, written in Russian, translated to Lanza. The investigator noted that Adam Lanza was the perpetrator of the 2012 mass shooting that killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

The sheriff’s office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen. But the investigator concluded that he "could not substantiate the tip I received from the FBI to take further action.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725622947526.png" alt="Colin Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Colin Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WINDER, Ga. (AP) — The father of the teenager accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">opening fire at a Georgia high school</a>, killing four people and wounding nine, has been arrested on various charges including second-degree murder, authorities said Thursday.Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a social media post. No other details were immediately provided, but a news conference was planned for later in the day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725585758159.png" alt="Colt Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Colt Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, while malice murder and felony murder carry a minimum sentence of life.Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriff’s report obtained Thursday.Conflicting evidence on the post's origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said she reviewed the report from May 2023 and found nothing that would have justified bringing charges at the time.“We did not drop the ball at all on this,” Mangum told The Associated Press in an interview. “We did all we could do with what we had at the time.”When a sheriff's investigator from neighboring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents’ separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father, who photographed him with a deer's blood on his cheeks.“He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,” Colin Gray said according to a transcript obtained from the sheriff's office.The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Colt Gray, then 13, “had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school tomorrow.” The threat was made on Discord, a social media platform popular with video gamers, according to the sheriff's office incident report.The FBI's tip pointed to a Discord account associated with an email address linked to Colt Gray, the report said. But the boy said “he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner,” according to the investigator's report.The interview transcript quotes the teen as saying: “I promise I would never say something where ...” with the rest of that denial listed as inaudible.The investigator wrote that no arrests were made because of “inconsistent information” on the Discord account, which had profile information in Russian and a digital evidence trail indicating it had been accessed in different Georgia cities as well as Buffalo, New York.The attack was&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-ee24f46a30d2426089b83bb2897dce4e">Newtown, Connecticut</a>;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-florida-gun-politics-school-boards-nikolas-cruz-44a0da3e406f0c487e5c0a6b0855ee2e">Parkland, Florida</a>; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active-shooter drills. But there has been little change to national gun laws.Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed.When the suspect slipped out of math class Wednesday, Lyela Sayarath figured her quiet classmate who recently transferred was skipping school again. But he returned later and wanted back into the room. Some students went to open the locked door but instead backed away.“I’m guessing they saw something, but for some reason, they didn’t open the door,” Sayarath said.The teen then opened fire in the hallway, authorities said.Sayarath said she heard a barrage of 10 to 15 gunshots. The students fell to the floor and crawled in search of a safe corner to hide.Two school resource officers confronted the shooter within minutes after the gunshots were reported, Hosey said. The teen immediately surrendered.Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.He has been charged in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder — were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how the suspect obtained the gun and got it into the school of roughly 1,900 students in a rapidly developing area on the edge of metro Atlanta’s ever-expanding sprawl.It was the 30th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-mass-killings-list-14a356281ba8da1d72931cd6f56c41ba">mass killing</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. so far this year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.Prior cases have emerged in which someone who was once on the FBI's radar but was not arrested went on to commit violence.A month before Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at the Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018, the bureau received a warning that he had been talking about committing a mass shooting. The FBI also investigated a tip about the person later convicted in a deadly 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado.The pattern underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in trying to determine when concerning behavior crosses into a crime. Investigators sift through tens of thousands of tips every year to try to determine which could yield a viable threat. Cases such as the Georgia school shooting prompt fresh questions about whether more intensive investigative work might have averted the violence.The sheriff's report says investigator Daniel Miller spoke to the boy and his father May 21, 2023. The father said his son had access to guns in the house.“I mean they aren't loaded, but they are down,” Gray's father said, according to the interview transcript.He described a photo on his cellphone from a recent hunting trip with his son: "You see him with blood on his cheeks from shooting his first deer.” Gray's father called it “the greatest day ever.”The teen told Miller he stopped using Discord a few months earlier after his account got hacked.“I gotta take you at your word and I hope you’re being honest with me,” Miller replied.A phone number associated with the account was linked to a different person in another Georgia city, the report said. The account's profile name, written in Russian, translated to Lanza. The investigator noted that Adam Lanza was the perpetrator of the 2012 mass shooting that killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.The sheriff’s office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen. But the investigator concluded that he "could not substantiate the tip I received from the FBI to take further action.”

Father of Georgia school shooting suspect jailed, faces years in prison

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge ruled Thursday that an anti-abortion GOP official used misleading language to summarize a ballot question designed to restore abortion rights in the state.

Cole County Circuit Judge Cotton Walker threw out a description of the amendment as written by the office of Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, an abortion opponent.

In his ruling, Walker said Ashcroft's language was “unfair, insufficient, inaccurate and misleading."

Walker wrote a new summary explaining to voters that the measure would remove Missouri's abortion ban and allow abortion to be restricted or banned after fetal viability, with exceptions.

Missouri banned almost all abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Walker's language also notes that the amendment would create a “constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives.”

At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota.

In Missouri, ballot language is displayed at polling centers to help voters understand the impact of voting “yes” or “no” on sometimes complicated ballot measures.

The summary that Ashcroft wrote said a “yes” vote on the proposal would enshrine “the right to abortion at any time of a pregnancy in the Missouri Constitution.”

“Additionally, it will prohibit any regulation of abortion, including regulations designed to protect women undergoing abortions and prohibit any civil or criminal recourse against anyone who performs an abortion and hurts or kills the pregnant women,” according to Ashcroft's language.

The amendment itself states that “the government shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions.”

Assistant Attorney General Andrew Crane defended Ashcroft’s summary in court. He pointed to a clause in the amendment protecting “any person” from prosecution or penalties if they consensually assist a person exercising their right to reproductive freedom. Crane said if enacted, that provision would render any abortion regulations toothless.

The secretary of state and attorney general's offices didn't immediately respond to Associated Press emails seeking comment on the ruling.

Backers of the measure celebrated Walker's decision.

“This ruling confirms what we’ve known all along — our opponents are trying to block a vote in November because they know Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive freedom and will be voting yes on Amendment 3,” Rachel Sweet, the campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement Thursday. “Missourians deserve the chance to vote on Amendment 3 based on facts and today’s decision brings us one step closer to making that a reality.”

Lawyers for the woman who proposed the amendment wrote in legal briefs that Ashcroft's description is misleading and that lawmakers could regulate abortions after viability.

“Missourians are entitled to fair, accurate, and sufficient language that will allow them to cast an informed vote for or against the Amendment without being subjected to the Secretary of State’s disinformation,” according to a brief filed by the plaintiff.

This is the second time Ashcroft and the abortion-rights campaign have clashed over his official descriptions of the amendment.

The campaign in 2023 also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-31e5d91121b0be6ae41548eb11f2e751">sued Ashcroft</a>&nbsp;over how his office described the amendment in a ballot summary. Ballot summaries are high-level overviews of amendments, similar to ballot language. But summaries are included on ballots.

Ashcroft’s ballot summary said the measure would allow “dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth.”

A three-judge panel of the Western District Court of Appeals ruled Ashcroft’s summary was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-constitution-ruling-edb5f44fc0f9799d01cda22cd1f70b40">politically partisan</a>&nbsp;and rewrote it. Much of Walker's ballot language is based on the Court of Appeals summary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714753237039.png" alt="Photo Missourians for constitutional freedom" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missourians for constitutional freedom</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge ruled Thursday that an anti-abortion GOP official used misleading language to summarize a ballot question designed to restore abortion rights in the state.Cole County Circuit Judge Cotton Walker threw out a description of the amendment as written by the office of Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, an abortion opponent.In his ruling, Walker said Ashcroft's language was “unfair, insufficient, inaccurate and misleading."Walker wrote a new summary explaining to voters that the measure would remove Missouri's abortion ban and allow abortion to be restricted or banned after fetal viability, with exceptions.Missouri banned almost all abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.Walker's language also notes that the amendment would create a “constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives.”At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota.In Missouri, ballot language is displayed at polling centers to help voters understand the impact of voting “yes” or “no” on sometimes complicated ballot measures.The summary that Ashcroft wrote said a “yes” vote on the proposal would enshrine “the right to abortion at any time of a pregnancy in the Missouri Constitution.”“Additionally, it will prohibit any regulation of abortion, including regulations designed to protect women undergoing abortions and prohibit any civil or criminal recourse against anyone who performs an abortion and hurts or kills the pregnant women,” according to Ashcroft's language.The amendment itself states that “the government shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions.”Assistant Attorney General Andrew Crane defended Ashcroft’s summary in court. He pointed to a clause in the amendment protecting “any person” from prosecution or penalties if they consensually assist a person exercising their right to reproductive freedom. Crane said if enacted, that provision would render any abortion regulations toothless.The secretary of state and attorney general's offices didn't immediately respond to Associated Press emails seeking comment on the ruling.Backers of the measure celebrated Walker's decision.“This ruling confirms what we’ve known all along — our opponents are trying to block a vote in November because they know Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive freedom and will be voting yes on Amendment 3,” Rachel Sweet, the campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement Thursday. “Missourians deserve the chance to vote on Amendment 3 based on facts and today’s decision brings us one step closer to making that a reality.”Lawyers for the woman who proposed the amendment wrote in legal briefs that Ashcroft's description is misleading and that lawmakers could regulate abortions after viability.“Missourians are entitled to fair, accurate, and sufficient language that will allow them to cast an informed vote for or against the Amendment without being subjected to the Secretary of State’s disinformation,” according to a brief filed by the plaintiff.This is the second time Ashcroft and the abortion-rights campaign have clashed over his official descriptions of the amendment.The campaign in 2023 also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-31e5d91121b0be6ae41548eb11f2e751">sued Ashcroft</a>&nbsp;over how his office described the amendment in a ballot summary. Ballot summaries are high-level overviews of amendments, similar to ballot language. But summaries are included on ballots.Ashcroft’s ballot summary said the measure would allow “dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth.”A three-judge panel of the Western District Court of Appeals ruled Ashcroft’s summary was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-constitution-ruling-edb5f44fc0f9799d01cda22cd1f70b40">politically partisan</a>&nbsp;and rewrote it. Much of Walker's ballot language is based on the Court of Appeals summary.

Mo. judge: Abortion-rights ballot measure summary is misleading

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man was sentenced Wednesday following the death of an elderly woman at an area nursing home.&nbsp;

Jose Luis Reyes, Jr., 31, Wichita, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of mistreating a 90- year-old resident of a Bel Aire nursing home was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered not to be employed in any capacity where he would be providing medical care to patients, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

&nbsp;Reyes Jr. was a certified nurse aide at Catholic Care Center in Bel Aire when one of the residents passed away on Dec. 10, 2022.&nbsp; An autopsy found the primary cause of the woman’s death was heart disease. The autopsy also noted that woman had suffered other injuries at the time of her death, including broken bones in her legs, bruising under her armpits and a bruise to her head.

Investigators from the Bel Aire Police Department obtained video from the facility showing Reyes had entered woman’s room alone shortly before her death. After interviewing witnesses and reviewing medical records, investigators found that Reyes injured the woman when he attempted to move her from her bed to a wheelchair without assistance from other staff at the nursing home. 

Evidence showed the woman either fell or was dropped onto the floor of her room on the day she died. Medical records showed the nursing home staff was aware that the woman required at least two people to move her at all times.

In July, Reyes entered a guilty plea to mistreatment of an elder person before District Judge David Kaufman. As part of the plea, Reyes agreed to surrender any Kansas certifications for providing medical care to patients.

If Reyes fails to comply with the probation conditions, he could serve a prison sentence of nine months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas law makes it a crime to mistreat an elder person, either by intentionally inflicting injury or knowingly omitting or depriving treatment necessary to maintain the physical health of the elder person. The same law also prohibits the financial exploitation of elder persons through theft, coercion, false representations or overbilling. The definition of an elder person in Kansas is anyone 60 or older.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725542554889.png" alt="Reyes -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Reyes -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man was sentenced Wednesday following the death of an elderly woman at an area nursing home.&nbsp;Jose Luis Reyes, Jr., 31, Wichita, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of mistreating a 90- year-old resident of a Bel Aire nursing home was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered not to be employed in any capacity where he would be providing medical care to patients, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;Reyes Jr. was a certified nurse aide at Catholic Care Center in Bel Aire when one of the residents passed away on Dec. 10, 2022.&nbsp; An autopsy found the primary cause of the woman’s death was heart disease. The autopsy also noted that woman had suffered other injuries at the time of her death, including broken bones in her legs, bruising under her armpits and a bruise to her head.Investigators from the Bel Aire Police Department obtained video from the facility showing Reyes had entered woman’s room alone shortly before her death. After interviewing witnesses and reviewing medical records, investigators found that Reyes injured the woman when he attempted to move her from her bed to a wheelchair without assistance from other staff at the nursing home. Evidence showed the woman either fell or was dropped onto the floor of her room on the day she died. Medical records showed the nursing home staff was aware that the woman required at least two people to move her at all times.In July, Reyes entered a guilty plea to mistreatment of an elder person before District Judge David Kaufman. As part of the plea, Reyes agreed to surrender any Kansas certifications for providing medical care to patients.If Reyes fails to comply with the probation conditions, he could serve a prison sentence of nine months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.Kansas law makes it a crime to mistreat an elder person, either by intentionally inflicting injury or knowingly omitting or depriving treatment necessary to maintain the physical health of the elder person. The same law also prohibits the financial exploitation of elder persons through theft, coercion, false representations or overbilling. The definition of an elder person in Kansas is anyone 60 or older.

Kan. nurse aid admits guilt for woman's nursing home death 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.

Swift arrived about 90 minutes prior to the AFC title game rematch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RobCollinsTV/status/1831828437260292389">wearing a denim crop top and shorts</a>&nbsp;along with red, knee-high heeled boots. She joined nearly 80,000 fans awaiting kickoff as storms began popping up in the area.

Swift became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">her high-profile romance with Kelce,</a>&nbsp;a pop culture heavyweight in his own right. Kelce had failed to give her a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so he took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer took him up on the offer for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.

They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/02/10/taylor-swift-kisses-travis-kelce-on-the-field-after-his-chiefs-beat-the-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/">by locking lips with Kelce on the field</a>.

Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.

During the offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an onstage cameo in a tuxedo during a performance. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce’s) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”

Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725580468000.png" alt="Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by&nbsp;Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by&nbsp;Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift stuns arriving at Arrowhead Stadium for today&#39;s Chiefs va Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/v283TIqMd8">pic.twitter.com/v283TIqMd8</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831829709992480819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift looks absolutely alluring at today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game at Arrowhead Stadium! <a href="https://t.co/jza64xEXzv">pic.twitter.com/jza64xEXzv</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831834703558799712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift arrived about 90 minutes prior to the AFC title game rematch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RobCollinsTV/status/1831828437260292389">wearing a denim crop top and shorts</a>&nbsp;along with red, knee-high heeled boots. She joined nearly 80,000 fans awaiting kickoff as storms began popping up in the area.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift and Ed Kelce at today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/eMezCRHZKT">pic.twitter.com/eMezCRHZKT</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831851010366857294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">her high-profile romance with Kelce,</a>&nbsp;a pop culture heavyweight in his own right. Kelce had failed to give her a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so he took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer took him up on the offer for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving after today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/soAHLC6hAq">pic.twitter.com/soAHLC6hAq</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831929172580823268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/02/10/taylor-swift-kisses-travis-kelce-on-the-field-after-his-chiefs-beat-the-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/">by locking lips with Kelce on the field</a>.Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.During the offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an onstage cameo in a tuxedo during a performance. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce’s) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelce-chiefs-eagles-jason-travis-new-heights-92761f6968b12ee06603d66e7ce9c5b7">recently struck a deal</a>&nbsp;reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon’s Wondery service. He also is due to appear in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/daV1NI7hxY0?si=PtU8BgFwX79OgD_i">Ryan Murphy’s murder mystery “Grotesquerie”</a>&nbsp;on FX debuting Sept. 25, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/travis-kelce-are-you-smarter-than-a-celebrity-prime-video">he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity”</a>&nbsp;on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.Then there’s the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across a parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life.”Not everything was smooth for Swift and Kelce during the offseason.Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna</a>&nbsp;after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency’s deputy director, David Cohen, said “they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online calling into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title “Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.It surfaced about the same time that&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/CbaIDysFUuQ?si=s7Zg_6hSRtFvFBVw">Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,”</a>&nbsp;where he discussed their relationship.“She had just been so open to learning the game,” Kelce said. “I think what makes her so good in her profession is that she’s so detailed in every aspect of it, from the words to her music and even the releases and the music videos and everything. She’s just so detailed and a part of it, that I think she was just curious about the profession.”Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile: “She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”---------------