SEDGWICK COUNTY, KS. (THECOUNT) — Robert Kunze, a deputy for Sedgwick County Sheriff Office, has been identified as the officer shot dead in the line of duty Sunday Afternoon in Garden Plain, KS.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter confirmed the sad news Sunday that, Kunze, 41, died in a shooting Sunday afternoon in the line of duty.

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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.

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. source

Easter says Deputy Kunze will be remembered for his smile, contagious laugh and ability to engage with anyone and everyone in conversation.

Anyone with information on the shooting should contact police at 911.