Month: April 2019

Leavenworth man pleads guilty to bank robbery

A Leavenworth, Kansas, man pleaded guilty Monday to armed bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Damon Hammeke, 26, Leavenworth, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on Nov. 21, 2017, he robbed the Country Club Bank at 2310 S. 4th St. in Leavenworth.

He entered the bank wearing a white jacket and black mask and carrying a handgun. He left the bank with money.

Two days later, an officer in Tonganoxie attempted to stop him for a traffic offense.

Hammeke fled, leading police on a high-speed chase through Tonganoxie, Basehor, Lansing, Leavenworth, Platte County, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, before they were able to stop him.

Sentencing is set for July 22. He faces a penalty of up to 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the robbery charge as well as not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge.

McAllister commended the FBI, the Tonganoxie Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Platte County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.

Two persons wounded in shooting

Police responded to the 1200 block of North 77th Terrace overnight and found two victims suffering from gunshot wounds to the legs.

Both of the victims said they did not know who shot them, and they refused to cooperate with police, according to a social media post by the police chief. There are apartments in the area.

Police are investigating.

Tuesday events

Quindaro townsite celebration today
An event at noon Tuesday, April 23, at the Quindaro Overlook will celebrate the Quindaro townsite’s federal designation as a national commemorative site. The Quindaro Overlook is at 3507 N. 27th St., Kansas City, Kansas. The designation establishing the Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site was signed into law on March 12. The event on April 23 will be sponsored by Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, the Unified Government and the Kansas City, Kansas, Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Public hearing scheduled today on closure of Parker Elementary School
 A public hearing has been scheduled at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, on the question of whether Parker Elementary School should be closed. The meeting will be held in the third floor board room of the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Central Office and Training Center, 2010 N. 59th St., Kansas City, Kansas. Members of the public may make comments on whether the school should be closed at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Parker School is at 3334 Haskell Ave. The public may attend and participate. The Kansas City, Kansas school board also has scheduled a regular meeting at 5 p.m. April 23 at the same location, 2010 N. 59th St.

Grocery store listening session scheduled
A listening session on the proposed downtown Kansas City, Kansas, grocery store has been scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, at the Liveable Neighborhoods office at the Neighborhood Resource Center, 4935 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The meeting is open to the public, and the public may make comments.