Prosecutors to seek death penalty for man charged in killing of Wyandotte deputy
Prosecutors said Wednesday they would seek the death penalty for Shawn Harris, the man accused of fatally shooting a Wyandotte County sheriff’s deputy last month.
If Harris were to be convicted on a charge of capital murder, prosecutors said they would request a sentencing proceeding to determine whether he would receive a death sentence.
“The defendant committed the crime in an especially heinous, atrocious or cruel manner,” Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree Sr. wrote in a Wednesday court filing in Wyandotte County District Court.
Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Ming, who had been with the sheriff’s office for nearly nine years, was shot July 26 while responding to a service call in the Kansas City, Kansas, Argentine neighborhood. The shooting happened in the 2600 block of South 30th Street as law enforcement officers were providing protection while a woman moved out of a house.
Harris was charged with capital murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the killing. In an initial appearance, Harris pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his bond was set at $2 million, according to court records.
A funeral service for Ming is scheduled for Monday at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 3:07 PM.
