KC advocacy group renews call to fire KCPD officer Blayne Newton
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Urban Council demands termination of KCPD officer after three on‑duty killings.
- Jackson County prosecutor declined charges for 2023 shooting.
- Coalition links police board appointments and governance to ongoing public safety risks.
A coalition of civil rights organizations is renewing its calls for the firing of a Kansas City Police Department officer who has killed three people while on duty since joining the police force in 2017.
The Urban Council said in a release that they are calling for emergency accountability among what they call a pattern of institutional failures, including the continued employment of Kansas City Police officer Blayne Newton.
The Rev. Vernon P. Howard Jr., president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, said that KCPD leadership and the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners have failed to address a number of issues that have affected the agency’s operations.
“This is wrong, and it should not happen, and we’re working on it,” Howard Jr. said.
Newton was involved in a June 2023 triple shooting in which he fired gunshots that resulted in the deaths of Marcel Nelson, 42, and Kristen Fairchild, 42. A third person, Jayden Thorns, was shot in the head but survived. The shooting resulted in a $3.5 million settlement.
Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced in January that her office would not pursue charges against Newton for a June 2023 shooting that killed two and left another injured. Johnson said her decision was due to Missouri law.
Newton also shot and killed Donnie Sanders in 2019.
In addition, the three people who have been killed, Newton has a string of excessive force allegations against him.
The Urban Council consists of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, the Kansas City, Mo. chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Urban Summit Kansas City and the SCLC of Greater Kansas City.
Despite the history of shootings and excessive force allegations, Newton has not been fired and remains employed with the Police Department.
Johnson announced in her release that criminal charges would not be filed. She expressed concerns about his continued employment and conveyed these to Police Department leadership. Multiple citizens spoke at the Jan. 27 police board meeting, calling for the group board to take action and terminate his employment.
“Kansas City is facing a public safety crisis rooted in the systemic failure of institutions charged with protecting the public and upholding civil rights,” according to the Urban Council’s news release. “From deadly violence at neighborhood businesses to unchecked police misconduct to discriminatory economic practices and unaccountable governance, the common thread is clear: a lack of accountability in positions of power is putting lives at risk.”
‘Escalating public safety crisis’
The Urban Council is set to host a press conference at 3 p.m. on Monday to discuss the call for termination of Newton, as well as their support of a decision by Missouri Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, not to sponsor the appointment of Heather Hall to serve on the Kansas City police board.
Nurrenbern, in the letter obtained by The Star, pointed directly at Kansas City’s unusual lack of control over police operations. The police department is controlled by a five-member board, with four members appointed by the governor. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas occupies the fifth spot.
“I take my constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent to the gubernatorial appointments very seriously,” according to the letter. “It is not without thorough research and many conversations with community members that I request the withdrawal of her appointment.”
The move comes ahead of a Feb. 6 deadline for the Missouri Senate to confirm Hall’s appointment. Without Nurrenbern’s backing, Kehoe could be forced to pull the nomination. If he doesn’t — and the deadline expires without the Senate’s confirmation — Hall would be banned from serving on the police board under state law.
Hall’s appointment has brought criticism from police accountability advocates who question her objectivity due to her being married to a former Kansas City police sergeant.
The Urban Council will also discuss their concerns about the weekend fatal shooting at the Popeye’s restaurant located in the Linwood Shopping Center at 31st Street and Prospect Avenue.
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 1:26 PM.
