Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Shooting Suspect Kant Charged

Motel Owner Faces Charge Of Attempted Murder

On Monday, Leota Kant, 86, of Kimball remained in the Lincoln County Jail with a $200,000 bond after last week's Tuesday evening shooting incident.

By midday Tuesday, a week after the shooting, Kant was in the process of bonding out. Her bond was 10% of $200,000.

Kant is charged with attempted murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony, and discharge of a weapon in city limits. Kant was scheduled to appear in Kimball County Court on Nov. 8 for a preliminary hearing.

The incident occurred on Halloween evening. The Kimball Police Department responded to a "shots fired" call at 4306 East Highway 30, the Finer Motel.

Kimball Police Chief Jose Ruiz made contact with Kant and a male, Jeff Barborak, who appeared to have been shot and was transported to Kimball Health Services. Barborak had gunshot wounds to the abdomen, left hip, left knee, left lower leg and right lower leg. His injuries were considered non-life-threatening.

The Kimball Police Department requested that the Nebraska State Patrol handle the investigation.

According to the Nebraska State Patrol affidavit, Kant was arrested, and Barborak was transported to the Kimball hospital and then airlifted to Regional West Medical Center.

The state patrol interviewed both Kant and Barborak.

Barborak told an investigator that "Kant came out the back door with a scary face and shot four times to five times at him."

The investigator stated that Barborak was unaware that he was "hit until after he fled the scene on his bicycle, at which time he noticed he was bleeding and had been shot."

Kant's residence is the manager's residence at the Finer Motel and Barborak lives in Room 26.

Kant was initially housed in the Garden County Jail because the Kimball County Jail cannot house both males and females.