Authorities arrested three Kansas residents within the last week in connection with the shooting that injured a 26-year-old Carbondale police officer, Carbondale police said today.

During the evening hours of Sunday into early Monday morning, Kansas authorities arrested Alex Karcher, 22, Xavier McCray, 22, and Xavier Lewis, 24, for conspiracy to commit capital murder, Carbondale police said.

They were arrested in Saline County, Kan., police said.

The three men — who were booked in the Saline County Jail on a $1 million bond — were arrested in connection with the July 31 shooting that injured Carbondale Police Officer Trey Harris.

Harris was shot about 11:40 p.m. that day after Carbondale officers were on patrol in the 700 block of North Robert A. Stalls Street and heard gunshots, Carbondale police said.

Officers drove toward the source of gunfire to find a vehicle speeding away from the area and a pursuit began, according to Carbondale police.

During the chase a suspect fired several gunshots, striking through the officer’s windshield and hitting him. Harris, who was initially taken to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale for a gunshot wound but was transported to a St. Louis area hospital for additional care, is recovering at home.

During a press conference the day after the shooting, Carbondale Police Chief Jeff Grubbs said his department was pursuing two suspects in the shooting that occurred less than two miles from campus.

The three were arrested by numerous agencies in Kansas, including the I-135/I-70 Drug Task Force, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Salina Police Department, McPherson Police Department, Saline County Attorney’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Illinois State Police, with assistance from Carbondale police and other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, is working with officials on the Kansas investigation.

Carbondale police said they cannot comment any further.

Carbondale is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the identity, arrest and conviction of any suspects in this incident.

Luke Nozicka can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @lukenozicka. 

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