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Teenager charged in Kan. officer shooting

By Benita Y. Williams
Kansas City Star

A man accused of shooting a Shawnee, Kan., police officer over the weekend was charged today with attempted first-degree murder.

Alexander Craig Ayers, 18, is being held in the Johnson County jail on $800,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow.

The officer, a 2½-year veteran of the force, was shot in the upper body but was not seriously injured because of his protective vest. The officer fired back but did not hit the suspect, who was arrested a short time later.

The incident happened about 1:27 a.m. Sunday when police responded to shots being fired in the area of a residence in the 6600 block of Park Street. The suspect was in a backyard. As officers approached, the suspect started firing at them.