Abortion Services To Be Offered in Wichita for First Time Since Tiller's Death

December 16, 2010 — The Kansas City, Kan., Aid for Women abortion clinic has trained two physicians to provide abortion services in Wichita after the murder of abortion provider George Tiller, who was the city's only abortion provider, the AP/Wichita Eagle reports. Tiller, one of the few physicians in the country who provided abortions later in pregnancy, was shot to death by antiabortion-rights extremist Scott Roeder in May 2009.

Abortion care has not been available in Wichita since Tiller's death. Jeff Peterson, spokesperson for Aid for Women, said physicians Mila Means and Greg Linhardt decided to offer abortion care in Wichita after Tiller's murder. Both doctors currently provide abortion services at the Aid for Women clinic in Kansas City, according to the clinic's website.

Christian Frederick, a spokesperson for Means, said she would not provide abortions later in pregnancy at her Wichita clinic, which will start offering the procedure sometime in the middle of next year. Frederick added that Means' clinic will use all "legal force" to protect patients and staff from violence (AP/Wichita Eagle, 12/16).