On the morning of January 8, 1996, 24-year-old Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Easter was killed while on patrol in Wichita, Kansas. Easter, who had been with the department two and a half years, attempted to stop a stolen vehicle. The 14-year-old driver refused to stop, and a high-speed chase ended when the stolen car crashed through a fence.

After the crash the driver and four other juveniles fled on foot. Deputy Easter pursued the driver and caught up behind a house, where a struggle occurred and Easter was shot multiple times. The suspect, identified as Sakone Donesay, was apprehended at the scene; Donesay also had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg. Easter was taken to a local hospital and died during surgery.

All juveniles from the stolen vehicle were arrested, and Sakone Donesay was charged as an adult. The shooting profoundly affected the Wichita community and local law enforcement. If anyone has information about the events that night or knew Deputy Easter, please share what you know.