Investigators work to piece together events leading up to deputy's death
The scene between Garden Plain and Cheney is clear, but investigators remained at the scene for 24 hours, working to piece together what led up to the fatal shooting of Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Kunze.
Monday afternoon, investigators looked through the ditch near North 295th Street West and West 21st Street North.They also searched the suspect's vehicle in the rural area of west Sedgwick County.
Monday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office began to piece together a timeline of events leading up to the shooting. The sheriff's office says it started Sunday near West 53rd North and 295th West when someone reported a suspicious character.
The person who made that report followed that man to 21st Street. Minutes later, Deputy Kunze arrived on scene. We now know the 29 suspect, 29-year-old Robert C. Greeson was driving a stolen truck. The sheriff's office says Kunze found a gun on Greeson and went to cuff him. That's when they got into a fight and there were shots fired.
Greeson was also shot and killed.
A woman who lives across the road from the incident did not want to go on camera, but says she didn't hear any shots and had no idea anything was going on outside her home until a friend called to tell her what happened.
She says that's when she looked outside and saw a line of police vehicles.
A spokesperson with the sheriff's office says investigators have been able to view dash-cam video of the incident, but won't release further information on what they video shows.
Another piece of video from Robert Bond's security camera appears to show Greeson moments before he's believed to have stolen a vehicle Sunday.
Bond's neighbor had a vehicle stolen and the sheriff's office says it believes Greeson was responsible. The video on Bond's property shows Greeson sitting on a bench before Bond says he comes up to his front door.
"He's heading up to the porch to our door, discovers he can't get in, runs down and at that point there, he goes and lays underneath my pickup truck," Bond says.
In the video, you can see the man said to be Greeson walk up the truck in Bond's driveway, try the doors and then lie underneath the vehicle.
Bond says the man stayed there for nearly three minutes before sliding out from underneath the truck and walking to the neighbor's home. That's when deputies say Greeson stole a silver Dodge Charger before stealing another vehicle and a gun and ultimately dying in the fight with Deputy Kunze.
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Funeral services have been set for Deputy Robert Kunze.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office says the service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday at Central Community Church, 6100 W. Maple in Wichita.
Interment will be at Resthaven Gardens of Memory at 11800 W. Highway 54, Wichita, KS 67209.
The sheriff's office says it will inform the public once the procession route has been established.
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The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office has identified the man who shot and killed Deputy Robert Kunze Sunday as 29-year-old Robert C. Greeson.
Greeson also died in that shooting.
We checked around and found that Greeson has been in and out of prison several times for charges related to drugs, assault, and aggravated battery.
He has convictions in several areas across the state, including Hays, Pawnee County and Ellis County.
He's also had several incidents where he either absconded or violated parole.
State records show he most recently got out of prison last year.
Funeral arrangements for Deputy Robert Kunze have not been set, but there will be a public memorial held Tuesday at 7:00 in front of the Law Enforcement Memorial. That's outside Wichita City Hall at Central and Main.
If you wish to send cards or well-wishes to Deputy Kunze's family, you can do so by mail. Sheriff Easter says you can send cards directly to the Sheriff's Office or to him directly and he will make sure they get to Kunze's family.
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Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter confirms Deputy Robert Kunze, 41, died in a shooting Sunday afternoon in the line of duty.
Easter says Deputy Kunze will be remembered for his smile, contagious laugh and ability to engage with anyone and everyone in conversation.
Kunze was responding to a report of a suspicious person with another deputy at 1:18 p.m. Sunday in the 5300 block of North 295th Street. Easter said two people reported seeing a suspicious person in a black truck around one of their vehicles and two ATV-type vehicles.
Easter said after the call was dispatched, the two people followed the person as he left.
Deputy Kunze was traveling westbound on 21st Street when he arrived around 1:42 p.m. to see the black truck with it's hood open and another black truck in front of it. The two people who reported the person were in the second vehicle.
Sheriff Easter said Deputy Kunze made contact with the suspect, patted him down and found a .40 caliber handgun. Easter said he put the handgun aside and began to handcuff the suspect when a fight began. Easter said while deputies know Kunze's service weapon was fired, they are waiting on ballistics information to determine if the .40 caliber handgun was fired.
Easter said Deputy Kunze was shot once in his torso above his vest and the suspect was shot twice - once in his torso and again at his waist.
At 1:48 p.m., Sheriff Easter said Kunze pushed his emergency button to alert others that he was in trouble. Easter said deputies could hear him say he'd been shot.
Just a minute later at 1:49 p.m., Easter said the second deputy responding to the call arrived. That deputy made contact with the two people who witnessed the incident who were hiding behind a vehicle. Easter said the two told the deputy there had been shots fired.
The second deputy found the .40 caliber handgun and moved it away to safety, handcuffed the suspect who was lying face down and began rendering first aid to Deputy Kunze. Neither were responsive.
Sheriff Easter said another person came to the scene who has training as an EMT and tried to help Deputy Kunze before EMS arrived. Deputy Kunze went to Via Christi where Easter said he was declared dead at 2:55 p.m.
Sheriff Easter says his office does not have the identification on the suspect at this time but said the suspect died on the scene.
The sheriff said his office believes the suspect was involved in three other incidents in the past 24 hours and had a stolen .40 caliber handgun.
The first incident, Easter said, was a call Wichita Police made at 12:55 a.m. Sunday. It was a report of a stolen silver Dodge Easter said was possibly taken in an aggravated robbery case.
The second incident, Easter said, was at 9:22 a.m. Sunday and involved Deputy Kunze. Easter said Kunze responded to the 3300 block of West MacArthur for a larceny from a vehicle case. In that case, Easter said, a .40 caliber handgun was stolen.
The third incident, Easter said, was at 5:50 p.m. Sunday where Cheney Police recovered the silver Dodge in the 4000 block of South 327th Street West.
Easter said his office is currently operating under the theory that the suspect is involved in all three.
Sheriff Easter said there is only dash camera video from the time of the incident but because of the placement of the other vehicles on scene, he does not know if the video will show anything. Easter said his office is working to download that video.
Easter said all witnesses are cooperating with the investigation.
Describing Kunze, Easter said he was an exceptional deputy trained in many areas in his job including field training, crisis intervention and several levels of motor vehicle investigations.
Kunze began his career with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office and worked there for six years before applying with Sedgwick County. Easter said Kunze was hired in 2006 and served 12 years. He said Kunze began working on second watch after graduation but went to first watch, which was the shift he was working when he was killed.
Easter said Kunze was a "great asset to the sheriff's office" and that he was always available at a moment's notice. Easter said he "worked with great pride" and "most of all, loved his family."
Deputy Kunze leaves behind a wife and child. Sheriff Easter said funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Any cards can be addressed the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office at 141 West Elm in Wichita.
Easter asked everyone to pray for not only Deputy Kunze and his family but also all of the other deputies who are continuing to work and serve Sedgwick County while knowing their brother won't be there.
A vigil will be held for Deputy Kunze Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Law Enforcement Memorial.