Two Wyandotte County deputies have died after being shot Friday.
In separate news releases from the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, deputy Theresa King passed away around 2 am Saturday. Fellow deputy Patrick Rohrer died Friday afternoon.
Both were apparently shot as they were transporting an inmate to the Wyandotte County Courthouse in Kansas City. Lyon County Undersheriff John Koelsch says inmate transfer situations carry an inherent danger.
Authorities have not confirmed media reports out of Kansas City the suspect is Antoine Fielder, who was due for a court hearing Friday. Fielder was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery and aggravated criminal sodomy stemming from an arrest in December. He was charged with murder in a separate case, also allegedly in December.
Koelsch says the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office studies violent incidents against law enforcement nationwide so staffers can stay as safe as possible.
Koelsch also says law enforcement officers also have to watch being hyper-vigilant, because that could lead to paranoia. In addition, he tells KVOE News incidents like this have a lasting impact on family members, friends, co-workers and witnesses.
King, 44, had served 13 years. Rohrer, 35, had served seven. They are the third and fourth law enforcement officers from Kansas City, Kan., or Wyandotte County to be killed in the line of duty the past three years. Kansas City detective Brad Lancaster was shot during a pursuit in May 2016. Later that year, Kansas City Capt. Robert Melton was shot dead as part of a drive-by shooting and related chase.
