UPDATE: 33-year-old  Sterling D. Hickman, of Junction City, was arrested on charges of first degree murder and aggravated battery in connection with the shooting.

Junction City Police were called to the National Guard Armory at 500 Airport Road at 3:51 a.m. Saturday after a report that two people had been shot.

Police Chief Tim Brown said when officers arrived on scene they found a man and woman injured. The man, identified as Antonio Maxwell, 25, of Junction City,  was taken to Geary Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The woman. Jamaica Chism, 30, of Junction City was lifeflighted to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka where she underwent surgery for a gunshot wound to the stomach area. After surgery she was listed in critical condition.

When asked about a possible motive in the case the police chief stated, “from what we understand a possible disturbance. That’s all we know.”  He said there were probably 75 to 100 people in the parking lot at the National Guard Armory. “We know that there’s people that saw what happened down there. We would urge those people to come forward, to call Crimestoppers if they want to remain anonymous, but we need the public’s help right now.” Brown added very few witnesses are cooperating.

The police chief said the National Guard Armory had been rented for an event that began at midnight and was scheduled to last until 3 a.m.  Authorities believe a disturbance occurred during the event which led to the victims being injured.   Brown noted,  ”The event was actually in the Armory but obviously the crowd was so large it overflowed into the parking lot also.”