Father of Fallen WyCo Deputy Honors Son: 'The Pain of This Loss Is Unbearable'

A Life of Kindness and Service

Two days after Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Ming was killed while responding to a call, his father shared on social media the deep sorrow his family is experiencing. Mark Ming expressed how many people have reached out to him, sharing how their lives were positively impacted by the words or actions of his son, Elijah.

“The words to express my pain, disappointment, anger, sadness and absolute disbelief, will never come to me,” Mark Ming wrote. “My son, Elijah La'Mose (Elijah Ming) is, was and will always be, the definition of a ‘Good Dude.’ Always respectful, humble and helpful, the kind of young man any parent would be proud of and WE DEFINITELY ARE! The pain of this loss is unbearable because I know his worth.”

A contact for relatives mentioned that no one in Elijah Ming's immediate family wished to speak at this time.

Ming was among several law enforcement officers who responded to a call at the 2600 block of S. 30th Street on Saturday afternoon, according to information provided by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the case.

"Just before 3:30 p.m., a female subject called requesting that police accompany her as she moved out of a residence, due to concerns about her safety," a KBI release said. "She reported that when friends tried to assist her, a male subject threatened them with a firearm."

Around 3:45 p.m., Ming and an officer from the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department arrived at the residence at 2627 S. 30th St. Grace Jacobs, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, explained that civil matters are handled by the sheriff’s department, which is why Ming responded alongside KCK police.

As Ming and the KCK officer approached the front door, "a male subject inside the house fired multiple rounds at the officers," the release stated. Rounds struck Ming, and he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The KCKPD officer was uninjured.

Authorities later identified the shooting suspect as Shawn Harris, 38, of Kansas City, Kansas. As first responders tried to help Ming, officers from both KCKPD and the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office exchanged gunfire with Harris. He barricaded himself inside the home and officials said he eventually came out around 5 p.m. after a negotiation. He was injured by gunfire and taken to a local hospital.

Community Gathers to Honor a Fallen Hero

Many gathered outside the Wyandotte County Courthouse Sunday evening for a vigil honoring Ming, who had been a deputy for the past nine years. The loss of the deputy, known for being kind and caring, has deeply affected the community.

LaDora Lattimore, with Friends of Yates, a comprehensive community agency in Wyandotte County that helps survivors of domestic violence, said the death of Ming comes at a time when the organization and shelters in the Kansas City area are seeing a rise in needs and calls regarding domestic violence.

Deputies like Ming are an asset to the community, Lattimore said. “My phone was just off the hook about, ‘What are we going to do about this?’” she said. “It's devastating to lose anybody that you're close to. But it's even more painful when a person has given so much of themself, choosing to unselfishly, to family, community and human kind. Period.”

In the hours since his death, friends, family, and residents in the community he served have remembered the deputy, describing him as someone who often stopped to play with kids while on duty. One video showed him, in uniform, racing a young boy. Another showed him playing basketball.

The City of Fort Scott, Kansas, posted on social media that Ming attended college there and was known as a "wonderful young man" who did "many great things while he was a member of our community." His alma mater also praised Ming, who played baseball for the school.

“Fort Scott Community College had the honor of watching you go from a young, baseball playing, Homecoming King to a wonderful example of integrity and a protector of the community,” the school's Facebook post said. “Rest in Peace, Officer Elijah Ming.”

A Family's Heartbreak

Mark Ming described on social media what the loss of his son will mean to the family. Elijah's death came just nine days after his mother, Sonji Ming, died, according to relatives.

"I'm devastated because his son has lost the perfect father," Mark Ming wrote on Facebook Monday morning. "His wife is without her Best Friend, his brothers and sisters are without their most level headed sibling."

Elijah came into the world in February 1991. Mark Ming wrote that his son was born three months premature, "weighing only 1 lb 9 oz." The hospital staff referred to him as their miracle baby. "I loved him then with tubes and monitors connected to him."

Ming included a picture from more than three decades ago of him holding his tiny newborn son. "And after they gave me and my family this horrible news," he said, referring to Saturday's shooting, "I saw him once again with tubes and monitors attached at 6'3 200lbs. But still my baby boy. I love you son take care of your brother and your mom she needed you more than me."