Man accused in death of WyCo deputy may face death penalty. What prosecutors say
Taking the podium at an emotional press conference Tuesday, Wyandotte County Sheriff Daniel Soptic spoke with members of the media about fallen deputy Elijah Ming.
He commended the community for its outpouring of support, and shared how the loss of one of their own has left many in deep sorrow.
“This community was robbed,” Soptic said. “This family was robbed of their time with Deputy Ming.”
The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office charged Shawn Harris, 38, Monday with capital murder in the fatal shooting of Ming. He also faces one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Harris is accused of killing Ming on Saturday, when gunfire erupted shortly after deputies and police responded to a domestic violence call.
Ming had responded with a Kansas City, Kansas officer around 3:30 p.m. in the 2600 block of South 30th Street, in order to provide protection while a woman moved out of a house. As they approached the front door, a man inside the house, later identified as Harris, fired multiple rounds at the officers, hitting Ming, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The KCKPD officer was uninjured.
As responding officers attempted to provide aid to Ming, gunfire was exchanged, injuring Harris. Ming was rushed to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries, officials said.
Harris allegedly barricaded himself inside the home after the shooting. He came out after a negotiation and was treated at a hospital with minor injuries before being booked in a Johnson County jail.
At Tuesday’s media conference, Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said Ming is remembered as a great father, community leader, sports coach, and volunteer apart from his duties as a sheriff’s deputy.
“His life will not soon be forgotten,” Dupree said. “To the family of Deputy Ming, please know that Wyandotte County will forever be grateful for the life, the legacy and the sacrifice that (he) made for the safety of us all.”
Ming was a ‘great father, leader’
While Dupree and other officials spoke, Soptic stood arms crossed, taking deep and controlled breaths. His face was resolute across the table in a room full of reporters.
Beside him, Kansas City Kansas Mayor Tyrone Garner spoke of Ming’s bravery, and the sacrifice he made for a community he loved.
“(Ming) was 34 years old, a young man,” Garner said. “He was a father. He was a husband. He was the epitome, as we all know, of what good police officers embody.”
KCK Police Chief Karl Oakman said the local law enforcement community is collectively hurting from Ming’s loss.
“This is another example of the far reaching effects of domestic violence, and it is an issue in this community… and across the country,” Oakman said. “Unfortunately, in this situation, Deputy Ming was in the middle of that; which law enforcement officers are on a daily basis.”
Harris’ Tuesday arraignment
Harris appeared for a virtual arraignment at 2 p.m. via Zoom, a video chat platform, in Wyandotte County District Court Tuesday. He pleaded not guilty and a judge set his bond at $2 million.
Harris is being held in the Johnson County Detention Center in Olathe, according to online booking records. He is due to appear in court Aug. 21 for a case status conference.
As of Tuesday, the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office had not yet made a decision on whether to pursue the death penalty in the capital murder charge against Harris. If convicted, he could face anywhere between 7 to 23 months in prison for the criminal possession of a weapon charge.
Harris’ charge of capital murder comes on the heels of a lengthy criminal past in both Kansas and Missouri.
He was released from custody last year and completed post-release supervision requirements in December, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.
This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM.
