30 years ago on this day (1996), Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Easter was shot and killed in the early-morning hours by a 14-year-old offender following a brief high-speed pursuit of a stolen car.
Five juveniles were in the vehicle, which crashed into a fence in an area southwest of Pawnee & Hillside in S. Wichita. Deputy Easter pursued the driver a short distance, behind a house.
During a struggle, Deputy Easter pinned the driver to the ground. The suspect then reached for a concealed weapon, wounding Deputy Easter above his protective vest. Wichita Police arrived at the scene as the shooting took place.
While trying to escape, the suspect accidentally shot himself in the leg; all of the juveniles were arrested.
Deputy Easter died later that morning during surgery; he was 24 years old, and newly-married.
Deputy Easter had served with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office for 2-1/2 years.
The teenage suspect was convicted, receiving a 55-year sentence.
Deputy Easter's older brother, Jeff, has been the Sedgwick County sheriff since 2012.