Missouri
Could Missouri's 'stand your ground' law apply to the Super Bowl celebration shooters?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The man accused of firing the first shots at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally told authorities he felt threatened, while a second man said he pulled the trigger because someone was shooting at him, according to court documents.
Experts say that even though the shooting left one bystander dead and roughly two dozen people injured, 23-year-old Lyndell Mays and 18-year-old Dominic Miller might have good cases for self-defense through the state’s “stand your ground” law.
Missouri is among more than 30 states that have adopted some version of stand your ground laws over the past two decades, said Robert Spitzer, a professor emeritus of political science at the State University of New York, Cortland, whose research focuses on gun policy and politics. While earlier laws allowed people to use force to protect themselves in their homes, stand your ground provides even broader self-defense rights regardless of the location.
Now, the mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl celebration could be a new test of those expanded protections, and comes as self-defense already is at the center of another high-profile Kansas City shooting that left Ralph Yarl wounded.
“This illustrates in a dramatic way the fundamental problem, especially when it’s a public gathering where there are thousands and thousands of people, and even a highly trained police officer often cannot avoid injuring others in a gunfire exchange in a public place,” said Spitzer, who wrote the book “Guns Across America: Reconciling Gun Rules and Rights.”
Trial attorney Daniel Ross described the stand your ground law as a “formidable defense” that he and many other Kansas City defense attorneys anticipate will be used in Mays’ and Miller’s cases. He said the law puts the onus on the prosecution to disprove claims that a shooting is lawful self-defense.
“Collateral damage under Missouri law is excused if you’re actually engaged in lawful self-defense and there’s other folks injured,” he said.
There are limits to the defense, however, said Eric Ruben, a law professor at the S.M.U. Dedman School of Law in Dallas who has written on stand your ground and self-defense immunity.
“Even though Missouri has robust stand-your-ground laws, that doesn’t mean you can spray bullets into a crowd in the name of defending yourself or others,” Ruben said.
The barrage of gunfire Feb. 14 outside Kansas City’s historic Union Station happened as the celebration that drew an estimated 1 million fans was concluding. A woman died while watching the rally with her family, and nearly two dozen others — more than half of them children — were injured and survived.
Kansas City already was grappling with the shooting of Yarl, a Black teenager, who survived a bullet wound to the head when he went to the wrong house in April 2023 to pick up his brothers. Andrew Lester, an 85-year-old white man, is planning to claim self-defense when he goes to trial in October. His attorney said the retiree was terrified by the stranger on his doorstep.
While the Super Bowl celebration shooting was a far different scenario, it raises anew questions about how far people can go to protect themselves and what happens when the innocent become victims.
Mays and Miller are each charged with second-degree murder and other counts.
Probable cause statements suggest that both men felt threatened. Mays said he picked out one person in a group at random and started shooting because they said, “I’m going to get you,” and he took that to mean, “I’m going to kill you,” the statement said.
Miller said under questioning that he fired four or five times because someone was shooting at him. His friend, Marques Harris, told WDAF-TV that Miller was only trying to protect him after he was shot in the neck.
Miller’s attorney didn’t return phone and email messages seeking comment. No attorney was listed for Mays in online court records.
Two juveniles also face gun-related and resisting arrest charges.
Missouri has few firearm regulations, and two of its cities — Kansas City and St. Louis — annually have among the nation’s highest homicide rates. Missouri’s current Republican lawmakers have largely defended the state’s gun laws, instead blaming prosecutors and other local elected officials in the two cities.
And Republican Gov. Mike Parson, speaking to reporters last week, cited societal problems — not guns — as the reason for the violence. “I believe it’s much more than a gun,” he said.
When Republican lawmakers in 2016 expanded the state’s already-extensive self-defense protections by enacting the current stand your ground law, Black Missouri lawmakers raised concerns. The law also allowed most adults to carry concealed guns without a permit.
Racial disparities are rife among those who invoke the defense, with an Urban Institute study showing white shooters are more likely to benefit than Black defendants.
The issue was raised when Kyle Rittenhouse, a white teen, was acquitted of killing two people and wounding a third during a 2020 protest against racism and police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after testifying he acted in self-defense. Rittenhouse’s actions became a flashpoint in the debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice in the U.S.
The 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a Black 17-year-old, by George Zimmerman also spurred a landmark case involving Florida’s stand your ground law. Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood watchman who thought Martin looked suspicious, was acquitted.
In Georgia, which also has a stand your ground law, three white men accused of fatally shooting Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 claimed self-defense. Travis McMichael, his father Greg McMichael and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan claimed they chased Arbery, who was Black, because they thought he was a burglar. All three were convicted of murder.
In 2022, Wichita, Kansas, area district attorney Marc Bennett was critical of the state’s stand your ground law when he announced that he wouldn’t file charges over the death of Cedric Lofton, a Black 17-year-old who was restrained facedown for more than 30 minutes at a juvenile detention center. Bennett said the law prevented him from bringing charges because staff members were protecting themselves.
With the Chiefs parade case unfolding, it is time to look anew at these laws, said Melba Pearson, a former homicide prosecutor who is now the director of prosecution projects at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University.
“What are truly the limits in terms of stand your ground and what really falls into the category of self-defense?” she asked. “Do we need to revisit what stand your ground looks like?”
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Ballentine reported from Jefferson City, Missouri. Salter reported from O’Fallon, Missouri. John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A coalition of hemp businesses filed a federal lawsuit Thursday in an attempt to halt a statewide ban on intoxicating hemp products from going into effect in November.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District, claims the ban state lawmakers passed this spring contains “unconstitutionally vague” definitions for hemp and marijuana.
Craig Katz, government relations and compliance manager for one of the plaintiffs, St. Louis-based MNG 2005, Inc., said the problem begins with lawmakers’ lack of understanding about the cannabis industry.
“A lot of this stuff is kind of in the weeds,” Katz said. “It’s very difficult to understand. And when people are trying to legislate it, if they don’t understand it, you come up with something like HB2641, which doesn’t make a whole heck of a lot of sense.”
The coalition includes MNG, the parent company of 55 CBD Kratom stores nationwide, the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, and a Wisconsin-based hemp business, Lifted Liquids Inc.
The bill in question was among the first Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed this year and will take all intoxicating hemp products off the shelves starting Nov. 12 — including THC seltzers currently sold in bars and grocery stores.
The legislation largely aligns state law with the upcoming federal ban that Congress approved last year.
Under Missouri’s bill, if Congress reverses course and decides to allow the sale of these products, the state would only permit them in licensed marijuana dispensaries. And if Congress delays the ban for a couple of years, Missouri law would still ban all products, except for intoxicating beverages.
It also tasks Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway with enforcement.
Kehoe, Hanaway, and Sarah Wilson, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which oversees the state’s marijuana program, are the named defendants.
Hanaway’s spokeswoman said the office had not been served with the lawsuit. Kehoe’s office and DHSS declined to comment since it’s pending litigation.
Gov. Mike Kehoe signs a bill placing restrictions on intoxicating hemp products in his office on April 23 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).
Similar bills have been debated since 2023, but have failed to pass. Without regulations, intoxicating hemp products with as much as 1,000 mg of THC are currently sold in smoke shops — outside of Missouri’s licensed marijuana dispensaries.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Dave Hinman, a Republican from O’Fallon, said the legislation largely gives state law enforcement and prosecutors the authority to enforce the federal hemp ban after Nov. 12.
“ I believe this is the last-ditch effort for the hemp industry,” Hinman said. “HB2641 passed the Missouri House, Senate, and was signed by the governor. It was vetted throughout the entire process. I don’t believe this Hail Mary will get the results the Hemp Trade Association wants, and Missouri will mirror the federal government.”
The lawsuit argues that the bill defines the same products as both “hemp” and “marijuana” in different provisions, which leaves businesses, law enforcement and prosecutors confused about what is legal.
“Because unlicensed marijuana activity is a crime in Missouri, that confusion carries criminal consequences,” states the coalition’s press release announcing the lawsuit.
While the bill “promises” not to interfere with interstate hemp commerce, the coalition notes that it also restricts who may transport hemp products through the state, the press release states.
And it contains effective date provisions “so convoluted that businesses cannot determine which products are covered or when,” it said.
The coalition believes the “confusing” definitions will also take non-intoxicating CBD products off Missouri shelves.
“This isn’t consumer protection,” said Jay Patel, the association’s president. “It’s the elimination of an entire legal industry coupled with a government-mandated monopoly.”
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 16, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 16 drawing
Midday: 1-0-0
Midday Wild: 0
Evening: 4-1-7
Evening Wild: 9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 16 drawing
Midday: 0-6-1-6
Midday Wild: 9
Evening: 0-5-2-8
Evening Wild: 9
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 16 drawing
Early Bird: 11
Morning: 13
Matinee: 07
Prime Time: 01
Night Owl: 14
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from July 16 drawing
04-05-11-15-37
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Cases of cyclosporiasis continue to multiply across the country, and the state of Missouri’s count is no different.
As of Thursday morning, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has reported 80 cases of the disease this week, which has been linked to “explosive diarrhea” across the country.
Days ago, the case number was 43.
Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a type of food poisoning called cyclosporiasis. The most notable symptom people report is frequent, watery diarrhea. This is different than the occasional diarrhea and should be taken seriously, the health department stated.
The state of Kansas has listed 55 cases of the disease, with 25 of those in Johnson County.
On Tuesday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services identified lettuce and other greens in salad as a potential source of the outbreak. There, more than 3,300 cases have been reported.
As that was taking place, fast-food giant Taco Bell issued a statement acknowledging it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities.”
Symptoms of the cyclosporiasis occur two to 14 days after exposure and may include:
- frequent watery diarrhea
- loss of appetite and weight
- abdominal cramps and bloating
- nausea
- low-grade fever
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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