TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The campaign treasurer for independent candidate Greg Orman has resigned to endorse Democrat Laura Kelly in the Kansas governor’s race.

Tim Owens, a former Republican state senator from Overland Park, resigned Tuesday, effective immediately. In a news release issued by Kelly’s campaign, Owens said it was time to unite behind Kelly and stop GOP candidate Kris Kobach.

Kelly and Kobach are locked in a tight race with Orman a distant third in recent polling.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Owen said he has supported Orman’s political ambitions for several years. He said he resigned because he believes electing Kobach would be one of the worst things that could happen to the state.

Orman said he accepted Owens’ resignation but he did not intend to leave the race.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic state Sen. Laura Kelly has raised $900,000 more than Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach since the end of July in the tight governor’s race.

New campaign finance reports filed Monday show that Kelly has raised $2.3 million, Kobach $1.3 million and Independent Greg Orman $805,000 over that period. In the final weeks of the campaign, Kelly has half a million available to spend, compared to $61,000 for Kobach and less than $15,000 for Orman.

Kobach, who is nationally known for advocating tough immigration and voter identification policies, enjoys the support of President Donald Trump. But Kelly said in a statement that her advantage is “enthusiasm.” She says Kansans of “all political stripes have a home in our campaign to rebuild our state.”

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Crews are tearing down a giant waterslide that a 10-year-old Kansas boy was riding when he was decapitated two years ago.

Deconstruction of the 17-story Verruckt, which was billed as the world’s tallest waterslide, began Tuesday.

Caleb Schwab, the son of a Kansas legislator, was riding the slide at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, Kansas, in August 2016 when the raft he was in went airborne. Caleb was killed when he struck a metal rod that held a safety net in place.

The demolition was delayed because of disagreements over which parts of the slide should be preserved for evidence in criminal cases. Two maintenance workers have been acquitted of impeding the investigation. Charges are pending against the park’s co-owner and the ride’s designer.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Vice President Mike Pence is returning to Kansas Friday to help candidates in Kansas and Missouri.

The American Conservative Union and Family Research Council Action will be holding a campaign rally for Gubernatorial Candidate from Kansas Kris Kobach, Kevin Yoder (KS-03), Steve Watkins (KS-02) U.S. Senate Candidate Josh Hawley, U.S. House candidates Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) and Sam Graves (MO-6).

The event in Kansas City on Friday November 2, at 1:00PM at the Hy-Vee Arena (formerly Kemper Arena) will allow guests to be among the first to see the remodeled multilevel nationally recognized sports and entertainment venue. An innovative reuse of a city landmark. Site of the 1976 Republican National Convention.

The event is free.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and looking for a suspect.

Just before 6:30p.m. Monday, officers were called to report of a shooting in 1600 Block of South Market in Wichita, according to Captain Brent Allred. Officers located a 23-year-old man with a single gunshot wound to his chest.

The victim was transported to a local hospital with serious but not life-threatening condition, according to Allred.

Investigators learned the victim got into a verbal argument with two other individuals who were sitting in a black Lincoln Navigator. During the argument, the front seat passenger fired one shot at the victim and the SUV fled the scene.

Later in the evening, officers located the SUV at a residence in the 1000 Block of North Volutsia. They spoke to the vehicle’s owner, 30-year-old Franklin Landis. Police booked him into jail on outstanding warrants, according to Allred.

The suspect is described as a 20-year-old white male. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, has an unknown red and blue tattoo under his left eye and he was carrying a black handgun.

Despite initial reports Monday’s shooting was related to a fatal weekend shooting in Haysville, that is probably not the case, according to Allred. “We are working with police in Haysville as the investigation continues.”

Anyone with information on the Monday shooting is asked to contact police.

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a Wichita shooting that critically injured one man may be related to a killing outside an event venue in a nearby community.

Emergency crews responded around 5:45 p.m. Monday to the Wichita shooting. Police Sgt. Robert Henning says a man in his 20s had been shot once in his chest. The man was awake and alert when he was taken to a hospital.

Henning says it appears that he was on a sidewalk with his friends and was flagged over to a vehicle, where a disturbance happened and he was shot. Henning says the vehicle is possibly connected to a deadly shooting that happened around 1:45 a.m. Sunday in Haysville after a party.

Haysville is about 10 miles south of Wichita.