Wyandotte County authorities warn of fake memorial funds for fallen deputy
As donations come in for the family of fallen Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Ming, who was killed Saturday, authorities are warning the public that fake accounts have surfaced.
The Fraternal Order of Police representing WyCo deputies set up a memorial fund — with 100 percent of the money going to the Ming family — through the Public Safety Credit Union. People are also able to give to the fund through Venmo.
But already, several fraudulent funds, with a similar Venmo address, have been created.
“Unfortunately, people do like to take advantage of tragedies,” said Grace Jacobs, media specialist with the sheriff’s office. “And we don’t want people’s good intentions to get taken advantage of, or them accidentally give money to someone that wasn’t connected to this at all.”
The correct Venmo account is: WyCoSO FOP@Memorial_Account_for_E_Ming.
The sheriff’s office is asking people to check the spelling of the last name on Venmo accounts. And if there is any doubt about whether an account is legitimate to call the sheriff’s office at 913-573-2861 for clarification.
Ming was responding to a call for service around 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the 2600 block of South 30th Street with other law enforcement officials to help an individual move items out of a residence. A woman had called 911 requesting police accompany her as she attempted to move out of a residence.
She told dispatchers that when friends tried to help her, a “male subject threatened them with a firearm,” according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the agency handling the case.
As Ming and an officer with the Kansas City, Kansas, police department approached the front door, authorities say a man inside the house fired multiple rounds at them. After being hit, the deputy was transported to a local hospital where he died.
Ming leaves behind a wife and young child.
Shawn Harris, 38, who has a lengthy criminal record, has been charged with capital murder in the deputy’s death.
In the days since Deputy Ming was shot and killed, people across the Kansas City area have posted on social media about his death. Hundreds attended a candlelight vigil.
Those who knew the deputy heralded Ming for how he would stop and interact with kids in the Kansas City, Kansas, community. They described how he wouldn’t judge people, even those who had committed crimes. And many wanted to know of ways they could help his family.
The goal behind the memorial fund set up by the FOP was to give people one place to send donations, Jacobs said.
Earlier this week Lodge #40 posted on its Facebook page alerting the community to be careful when sending money.
“As we feared, we have already been made aware of multiple fake Venmo accounts floating around,” the FOP post said.
Other than sending money through Venmo, those who want to donate can go to any Public Safety Credit Union in the area and specify that the donation is for the Elijah Ming Memorial Fund.
The addresses for those credit unions can be found here.
