JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Catholic leaders say the increase in executions in Missouri is a “grave concern.”

The Catholic Bishops of Missouri called for steps to be taken to end the death penalty in a letter sent Wednesday to Gov. Jay Nixon, Attorney General Chris Koster, lawmaker and members of the state Supreme Court.

The letter noted that the state has executed 15 people since November 2013. The bishops said their “hearts go out to” the families of victims. But they questioned whether it was possible to thoroughly review each case when executions are carried out “so routinely.”

The letter said pleas for clemency are “ignored,” even when defendants have “severe mental illness or traumatic brain injury.”

The bishops urged the recipients of the letter to “take a stand for life, mercy and justice”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lane Roberts, a former Joplin police chief, will become the leader of Missouri’s Department of Public Safety.

The Senate confirmed Roberts’ appointment by voice vote on Thursday. Gov. Jay Nixon nominated Roberts to the position in March.

Roberts led Joplin’s police department for seven years before retiring in 2014. He helped coordinate emergency and aid responses after a deadly tornado struck there in 2011.

Roberts will take over for former director Daniel Isom II, who served for only six months before announcing his resignation to teach at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Isom, who is black, was appointed following unrest in Ferguson after the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a white police officer. Nixon has faced criticism for lack of diversity in his cabinet.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say an armed man was fatally shot inside a University of Missouri parking garage.

Officials say college officer found the man late Wednesday on the garage’s second floor and shots were fired after the man was cornered. A Columbia police officer arrived, and more shots were fired. Jill Schlude, Columbia deputy police chief, says it was unclear which of the officers shot the suspect, who is believed to be a 51-year-old suspect in an earlier crime.

The Columbia Missourian reports the university officer injured his finger. Both officers are on paid administrative leave.

Schlude says Columbia police had issued a warning Wednesday evening for the suspect, after he allegedly held a woman at gunpoint in her car at a grocery store. He is a registered sex offender.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge will decide whether to grant bail to a Topeka man charged as an accomplice in an alleged Fort Riley bombing plot.

Alexander Blair will appear for a detention hearing Thursday. Blair’s attorney, Christopher Joseph, has argued in a court filing that Blair is not a flight risk because he has little money and no car.

Blair is accused of giving money to John T. Booker, who authorities say was arrested in an FBI sting operation Friday as he attempted to arm what he thought was a 1,000 pound bomb outside of Fort Riley.

Blair was arrested a short time later. Prosecutors allege he knew about the plot and did not inform authorities.

MULVANE, Kan. (AP) — Three Mulvane High School students are accused of running over a baby chicken several times in the school’s parking lot.

Mulvane police are seeking for animal cruelty charges to be filed against the students, two of whom are under the age of 18.

Police Chief Dave Williams says several teachers and students have been interviewed during an investigation into the March incident. Police presented their findings Wednesday to the Sedgwick County district attorney.

A representative for the Mulvane school district says officials have no comment at this time.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Finance reports show Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster has more than $3 million on hand to spend for his campaign for Missouri governor in 2016.

Records filed Wednesday show that’s more than twice the amount of former House Speaker and U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway, the front-runner among a number of Republican candidates declared or debating a run.

Hanaway had roughly $1.2 million on hand as of March 31.

Koster is the only Democrat running. That gives him an advantage over Republicans, who must vie for donations among GOP supporters.

Hanaway’s fundraising between January and April also slowed after she stopped campaigning following the death of her Republican gubernatorial opponent, Auditor Tom Schweich.

Navy SEAL Eric Greitens, another Republican exploring entering the race, trails Hanaway with about $450,000 on hand.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers have advanced a bill that addresses issues with a state law requiring lifetime prison sentences for people younger than 16 who are convicted of first-degree murder.

The Senate in a voice vote Wednesday gave initial approval to a measure that authorizes less severe punishments. It needs another vote to go to the House.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 ruled mandatory life sentences for minors are unconstitutional.

A bill by Republican Sen. Bob Dixon, of Springfield, would give jurors the option of life without parole or at least 35 years for youths under 16 who are convicted of first-degree murder. Those ages 16 to 18 could be sentenced either to life without parole or at least 50 years in prison.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — More than 200 low-wage workers took to the streets in Kansas City in pursuit of raises to $15 an hour as part of an expanding national movement known as Fight for 15.

The protesters started Wednesday with a 6:30 a.m. rally at an east-side McDonald’s, then gathered three-deep in front of a non-profit on Main Street to call attention to sub-par wages for home health care workers.

The event was part of a national protest day to coincide with the April 15 deadline for filing income taxes.

The movement to unionize and raise wages to $15 an hour began in 2012 with a single protest by fast-food workers in New York City.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Newly released court documents show that a Facebook post first led police to investigate a suburban Kansas City woman charged with stealing more than $100,000 worth of “high-end” clothing.

Forty-five-year-old Kelli Jo Bauer is accused in court documents of using social media to advertise the sale of more than 1,000 items of women’s clothing. The documents say she was arrested this month after undercover detectives posing as customers went to her $900,000 home in an upscale Overland Park development.

Bauer told the police that she was selling the items because she was a “compulsive shopper” and had lost weight.

She is on house arrest as a condition of bond. Defense attorney Scott Gyllenborg didn’t immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.