(UPDATE 3:15 p.m.) The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department is searching for two men after a Buchanan County resident was reportedly stabbed Monday night during a robbery.

Col. Bill Puett with the department said deputies were called out around 10 p.m. Monday to Karen Lane in the Lake Contrary area.

“The victim of the reported robbery was stabbed and then transported by private vehicle to Mosaic and treated,” Puett said.

He said the victim, a 45-year-old man was stabbed twice in the lower left back.  He has since been treated and released from the hospital.

Puett said the two suspects are described as white males, skinny with shaved heads.  They were seen driving a white colored 4-door car.

Anyone with information is asked to contact authorities.

“Anytime the public can help we truly appreciate that,” Puett said. “So if anybody has any information or knowledge of that event last night we would love if they would provide that to us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department or the Tips Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS.

Santa stopped in at several locations in the area Tuesday delivering gifts with the help of the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department.

Employees with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Dept. helped adopt 21 people for Christmas through the AFL-CIO’s Adopt-A-Family program.

“We were out spreading cheer, making people’s Christmas a lot merrier,” said Sheriff Mike Strong.

Santa and employees with the Sheriff’s Dept. climbed into a Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department patrol vehicle to deliver the gifts Tuesday.  They made three stops in the morning and had several more planned for the afternoon.

“The Sheriff’s Department works all year to raise money for this,” Strong said. “We have bake sales, they auction stuff off, they pay money to wear beards.”

In addition to gifts the department also brought food for a Christmas dinner and in some cases they even brought dog food for the pets in the home.  Strong said the reaction from the recipients makes it all worthwhile.

“From kids eyes being as big as silver dollars when they see Santa and all the deputies walk in to grandmothers crying because she sees she’s going to be able to provide a Christmas dinner” Strong said.

This year the department raised $4,200, Strong said it was the largest amount raised so far since the department has been taking part in the yearly giving effort.

“The whole Sheriff’s Department kicks in the whole year.  They go out and they buy coats and donate them, toys, and they all participant in the fundraisers, they go shopping they wrap it.  There’s probably about 30 people involved in the whole thing,” Strong said. “There are people less fortunate than us and we like to help. That’s why people get into this business.  Police officers and deputies get into this business to make a difference in people’s lives.”

As of 7 p.m. Monday the AFL-CIO was down to 50 families in need of adoption this Christmas through its Adopt-A-Family program.  The agency said it plans to keep its doors open at 1203 N 6th Street for anyone wanting to help provide a Christmas to those who may not be able to afford one from 8 am to at least 5 pm, Tuesday and Wednesday and 9 to 1, Thursday.  The agency can also be reached by calling (816) 364-1131.

(All photos courtesy Sarah Hardin/Buchanan County Sheriff’s Dept.)

A winner has come forward with the 1085698 winning number for the Shop St. Joseph Holiday Program.

The check presentation will be at 9 am at Ray’s Green Hills.

Shoppers are urged to keep their tickets
One winning number per each second-chance prize were also drawn today. Those numbers will be announced after the grand prize ticket has been verified.

Two certified public accountants worked with Chamber staff to provide oversight of the program. Roughly 1.6 million tickets were distributed this year through the 96 participating merchants. This is up from about 700,000 tickets in 2014.

Saint Joseph police officers are helping an anonymous donor pass out cash to needy residents.

Captain Jeff Wilson said a man who wanted to remain anonymous came to the police department with a $2000 donation.

“This $2,000 was in cash and this donor graciously asked that officers hand this money out in $100 increments to people that they feel might be really needing this money to help them out during the holiday season,” Wilson said. “Since that time we’ve been giving money to several different officers on several different shifts in the patrol division and they’ve been handing out $100 bills to people.”

Wilson said the donation was about two weeks ago. As of Monday, he said around $1,000 has already been given away. He said it’s up to the officers to decide who gets the money.

“It’s really just one of those instances that officers are on a call and they get just this feeling that this person may really need this at this time and they just hand the money out,” Wilson said.

He said people who have received the surprise donations have been very appreciative.

“Some officers went to a residence they just had remembered a lady that they had dealt with who was going through some problems so they went to her residence and she was actually surprised to see them. She thought they were there for some sort of enforcement issue and they were able to tell her, ‘hey we’re just here to help you out. We know you probably need this.’ And explained where the money came from and were able to give her $100 and actually put her in tears,” Wilson said.

Wilson said they hope to hand out all of the money before Christmas.

“The officers really like when programs like this come across and they’re able to go out and put a different spin on what they do,” Wilson said. “The officers give of themselves every day in trying to serve our community but to go out and be able to do something like this and help people out in a non enforcement like situation we hope they appreciate it as much as we appreciate having the opportunity to do it.”

We reported on a similar anonymous donation in Hutchison, Kan. several days ago. Police there were handing out $100 bills to the needy thanks to an anonymous donor.  Wilson said he doesn’t even know who the donor is.

New information in court documents show two St. Joseph men charged in connection with a midtown shooting last week allegedly pointed their weapons at the victim inside a vehicle before shooting at him.

Gerald Lee Johnson Jr., 29 and Adrian Zominique Taylor, 27 are both charged with felonies for class C assault and second-degree count II armed criminal action in connection with the shooting of Trevor L. Keith, 23 of St. Joseph Tuesday in the 3000 block of Parkway A.

According to court documents Johnson was sitting in the rear passenger side of the vehicle and Taylor was seen in the front passenger side both with a handgun pointed towards the driver, later identified as the shooting victim.

“A fight appears to be occurring inside the vehicle and the defendant is seen exiting the vehicle while pointing his weapon at the victim inside the vehicle and ultimately firing at the victim, still located in the vehicles drivers seat,” said Detective Frank Till with the St. Joseph Police Department.

Court documents said both Taylor and Johnson fired at the victim before running from the scene.  CLICK HERE to view PC Statements on Johnson and Taylor

“The defendant has already beat and shot the victim causing him serious injuries,” Till said in Taylor’s PC statement. “This defendant is dangerous to anyone in the community that he may perceive as a potential witness or to any Police Officer coming in contact with him.”

“The defendant has already shot his firearm at the victim,” Till said in Johnson’s PC statement. “This defendant is dangerous to anyone in the community that he may perceive as a potential witness or to any Police Officer coming in contact with him.”

Till said Keith suffered a serious wound from a gunshot and was in the intensive care unit.

Taylor is currently being held on $150,000.00 cash only bond. Court documents said bail for Johnson has been denied based upon evidence the court finds the defendant is a danger to the community.

If convicted, each could face up to 7 years behind bars for the assault charge and a minimum of 3 to an unlimited number of years for armed criminal action.

Two St. Joseph men have been charged in connection with a midtown shooting that sent another man to the hospital.

Gerald Lee Johnson Jr., 29 and Adrian Zominique Taylor, 27 are both charged with  felonies for class C assault and second-degree count II armed criminal action in connection with the shooting of  Trevor L. Keith, 23 of St. Joseph Tuesday in the 3000 block of Parkway A.

Keith currently remains hospitalized with a serious injury.

Taylor is currently being held on $150,000.00 cash only bond.  Court documents said bail for Johnson has been denied based upon evidence the court finds the defendant is a danger to the community.

If convicted, each could face up to 7 years behind bars for the assault charge and a minimum of 3 to an unlimited number of years for armed criminal action.