KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne covers issues surrounding government accountability, solutions and consumer advocacy. Share your story with Isabella.
An outpouring of support for Wyandotte County Sheriff's Deputy Elijah Ming continues after he was shot and killed Saturday in the line of duty.
A public memorial fund has been established to help Deputy Ming's family.
Shawn Harris, the man charged with Deputy Ming's murder, made his first court appearance Tuesday.
He faces one count of capital murder and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Harris pleaded not guilty. A judge set Harris's bond at $2 million.
Harris allegedly shot and killed Deputy Ming after Ming went to a Kansas City, Kansas, house to keep the peace as a woman tried to move out.
According to law enforcement, Ming and another officer didn't know about Harris's criminal background when they responded to the call.
Leaders talked about problems with domestic violence in the metro area at a press conference Tuesday where charges against Harris were announced.
The number of domestic violence-related calls law officers respond to is rising.
"We do thousands of these types of calls a year," Kansas City, Kansas, Police Chief Karl Oakman said. "It was just a regular civil standby call, basically calling for the police to stand by while you keep the peace."
What started as a regular call ended with Deputy Ming's murder.
"This should not have happened," Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said. "Domestic violence is a real issue, and I want to say to every family, to every father, every mother, every auntie, every uncle, that the early signs of domestic violence should be taken serious."
Kansas City, Kansas, police officers have responded to 646 civil standby calls this year. Officers responded to 1,132 civil standby calls in 2024 and 1,241 in 2023.
Across the state line, Kansas City, Missouri. Police officers have been sent on 411 domestic violence-related calls so far in 2025. That's more than half of the total calls in 2024 and 2023, both reported as 7.413 and 7,193 respectively. KCPD domestic call numbers also include aggravated assault responses.
KSHB 41 News is still waiting on our request for civil standby call numbers from the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office, but leaders recognize the concerning rise in domestic violence.
"It is an issue in this community, it is an issue across the country," Chief Oakman said. "Deputy Ming was in the middle of that which law enforcement officers are on a daily basis."
Deputy Ming's death has rocked the entire community, including those working to reduce domestic violence.
"Normally it's the victim we're worried about, and not necessarily the officer," MaryAnne Metheny said.
Metheny is the CEO of Hope House in Kansas City, a domestic violence shelter. She explained attackers can be at their most dangerous when law enforcement are called.
"They're out of control," Metheny said. "They no longer have that control and now there's a third party, a third party that can actually arrest them."
While Harris does have a criminal history dating back to 2012, including aggravated assault, there's no record of any domestic violence charges.
But for every domestic violence call, there are dozens that go unreported.
"The end of it is death," Dupree said. "Don't take it lightly. Do something about it now."
Hope House can be contacted here or by calling 816-HOTLINE.
—