Deputy Kunze, killed in line-of-duty shooting, honored with national sheriff award

A Kansas sheriff’s deputy who was slain in a line-of-duty shooting last year will be honored with a national award for valor.

Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Robert K. Kunze III will posthumously receive the Charles “Bud” Meeks Award Deputy Sheriff of the year for Valor from the National Sheriffs’ Association. The award honors a deputy sheriff who “has demonstrated conspicuous bravery in the performance of his/her duties.”

Kunze died Sept. 16 from gunshot wounds sustained in a shootout after he was dispatched to a suspicious character call in northwest Sedgwick County. His attacker was also killed by gunfire.

“Even though he had received a wound which would prove fatal, Deputy Kunze pulled himself to his feet, pursued his assailant, and fired his weapon with incredible accuracy until the suspect went down,” the National Sheriffs’ Association said in news release. “When the medical examiners were told what Deputy Kunze did after he was shot, they said this should not have been humanly possible.

“Deputy Kunze’s actions were above the call of duty and heroic. He demonstrated extreme bravery and courage while consciously facing immediate, imminent, and personal danger.”

Sheriff Jeff Easter has said that by fighting during his dying moments, Kunze may have saved the lives of two other people.

“Without a doubt in my mind, he (Kunze) prevented loss of other life because of the two witnesses standing there” when the shots rang out, Easter previously said. “They’re witnesses to him (the suspect) murdering a sheriff’s deputy. That puts them in harm.”

His family will receive the award at the National Sheriffs’ Association conference in Louisville on June 17.