KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Community members are rallying around the family of Elijah Ming, a nine-year veteran of the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office who died in the line of duty Saturday.
Just a few hours after the news broke of Ming's passing, community members began showing support for the deputy's family.
At 8:20 p.m. Saturday, a silent procession took place at the University of Kansas Hospital.
An hour later, at a press conference, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor/CEO Tyrone Garner mentioned the support the Ming family has been receiving.
“It was a tough day for many of us,” he said.
Support also came from community organizations.
Rick Armstrong is the president of the public safety nonprofit KC Metropolitan Crime Commission, which will be supporting Ming’s family with $40,000 through the SAFE fund.
He said the organization's goal is to provide comfort to the family as they deal with many emotions.
“Our job is to provide that umbrella of support so the families don't have to worry about that; they have so many other things to worry about," Armstrong said. "There are so many other critical emotional arrangements and decisions they have to make, so at least they won't have to worry about the funding side."
Armstrong, who has been working with law enforcement since the 1970s, said he feels it has become more dangerous to be a first responder in recent years.
“In the first 15 or 20 years of my career, it was a rare occurrence when an officer or deputy was shot and killed in the line of duty,” he said. “In the last eight years, it has been much more dangerous.”
While Armstrong didn't know Ming personally, he said it still feels like losing family.
"I just felt the sickness and sadness," he said. "That's just a real tragedy."
Armstrong said the community is welcome to help the KC Metropolitan Crime Commission's mission here.
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KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
