Kansas

Residents take to downtown Kansas City, Missouri, display signs of ‘solidarity’

Published

9 months ago

June 11, 2025

Residents take to downtown Kansas City, Missouri, display signs of ‘solidarity’

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — People gathered in parts of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday night holding signs of “solidarity.”

KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne followed with protesters as they demonstrated underneath an Interstate 35 overpass just south of downtown near Kansas City’s Westside.

Protesters want ICE raids to stop

Demonstrators said they were showing support to their community in Kansas City and Los Angeles.

Parts of Los Angeles have been ground zero in a demonstration against federal government immigration enforcement efforts. Many in attendance on Tuesday in downtown Kansas City told KSHB 41 News they are immigrants themselves.

Jack McCormick

“I know what this feels like; it’s heartbreaking,” Kansas City protester Jessica Saucedo said. “I hate it. I don’t sleep.”

Protesters marched from the underpass east toward one of Kansas City’s iconic locations – the north lawn of the World War I Museum and Memorial.

Liberty Memorial protests June 10jpg — Protesters gather on the north lawn of the National World War I Museum and Memorial on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri.

“I felt it was my right and my duty to come here as what I had to go through to come here and yell,” Saucedo said.

Leonardo Hernandez and Michelle Ramos explained public safety was top of mind, as numerous reports fled out of the protests in LA.

“I was a little nervous,” Hernandez said. “I’m not going to lie. I thought, you know, you never know what could happen at these events.”

Hernandez and Ramos told KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne they saw a fight break out between two men in the street, and they heard a firework explode.

“One little thing can trigger the whole crowd and we were doing a peaceful protest and that fight was so unnecessary,” Ramos said.

Even with that isolated incident, Hernandez said he’s glad he came out and share his voice.

“At the end of the day, what you are, what color it doesn’t matter, we’re here to support, make a change. Unity is very important,” he said.

Protesters marched around downtown for several hours on Tuesday evening, eventually blocking the intersection of Pershing and Main in front of Union Station. Several fireworks were set off in the evening, disrupting both lanes of traffic.

The crowd eventually dispersed around 11 p.m. on Tuesday. KCPD said no arrests were made, no injuries were reported and the demonstrations remained peaceful.

KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

Published

8 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Kansas wrestling coach was charged with creating child sexual abuse materials by secretly recording minors showering during an athletic competition.

According to court documents, 37-year-old Ryan Brungardt of Salina is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.

Brungardt is a former employee at Lakewood Middle School and former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School.

Brungardt is accused of using a cellphone to record three minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament was held at Newton High in January 2024.

Brungardt made his initial court appearance for the criminal complaint on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks G. Severson.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday

Investigators are in the process of reviewing additional seized cellphone videos in this case that are suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets in Newton, Hays, Garden City and Salina during the 2023-2024 wrestling season.

Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or any suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

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