Preliminary hearing is set for accused killer of KCK police detective Brad Lancaster

As officials gathered Wednesday morning to discuss the latest killing of a Kansas City, Kan., police officer, the man accused of killing another KCK officer was appearing in court across the street.

Curtis Ayers, 29, is charged with capital murder in the May 9 fatal shooting of Kansas City, Kan., police detective Brad Lancaster.

The hearing for Ayers on Wednesday morning in Wyandotte County District Court came as officials at City Hall were holding a news conference to discuss Tuesday afternoon’s fatal shooting of Police Capt. Robert Melton.

Police said Tuesday night that two suspects were in custody in connection with Melton’s killing but that no charges had been filed.

At the hearing for Ayers, District Judge Bill Klapper set a preliminary hearing for Nov. 21. The judge said he would set aside two or three days for the hearing.

The preliminary hearing will be the first time that evidence in the case will be presented publicly.

Ayers is accused of shooting Lancaster outside Kansas Speedway while fleeing from police.

He then allegedly went on a spree of carjacking and robbery that ended in Kansas City when police shot him and took him into custody.

He faces a potential death sentence if convicted of capital murder and is being represented by lawyers from the Kansas Death Penalty Defense Unit.

Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman said he has not yet made a decision on whether to seek the death penalty for Ayers.

This story was originally published July 20, 2016 at 10:24 AM with the headline "Preliminary hearing is set for accused killer of KCK police detective Brad Lancaster."