Steven Ray Warden was fatally shot in Topeka on the evening of June 24, 2024. Officers who responded just after 9:30 p.m. to reports of a shooting near Southwest 13th Street and Western Avenue found the 43-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident was ruled a homicide, Topeka’s eighth homicide of the year, and investigators immediately began reconstructing events that led to the shooting.

Warden, a Caucasian man, is survived by his wife and three children. Authorities are seeking information from anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have details about what happened near Southwest 13th and Western Avenue that night. If anyone knew Steven or saw activity in that area on June 24, please come forward with tips.