Explosives materials, stockpile of ammo found after man kills Kansas deputy

Officers found 33 pounds of explosives materials, more than 20 guns and a “large stockpile of ammunition” after getting a warrant to search the home of a Phillipsburg man who got into a fatal shoot-out with a deputy June 27, an official said Thursday.

Both the man, Kolton Griffith, 27, and 30-year-old Phillips County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Gaede died in the shooting.

More details were released Thursday, including the number of shots each man fired and a timeline of what happened, from the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, which was asked to investigate the shooting in Phillipsburg, which is about 200 miles northwest of Wichita.

Gaede was investigating a fireworks complaint. He had secured one handcuff on Griffith before Griffith turned away, drew a concealed revolver from his waistband and fired five rounds, Sedgwick County sheriff’s spokesperson Branden Stitt said in a news release.

After being hit, Gaede returned fire, shooting eight rounds and killing Griffith, who died at the scene. Gaede was pronounced deceased at the Phillips County Hospital about an hour after the shooting.

He was shot in the left bicep, another shot hit his vest and the third hit a femoral artery, Gaede’s mother-in-law, Amy Stephen, told The Eagle on Thursday. A visitation was being held Thursday; Gaede’s funeral Saturday will be live streamed on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page.

“We just want the world ... to know how true of a hero Brandon really was that night,” Stephen said. “He ended up saving many lives and unfortunately had to lose his.”

Gaede is survived by his wife, Karlye, their three children and numerous other family members.

The sheriff’s office on Thursday released a timeline with new details about the June 27 shooting. Here is what it says:

• About 6:02 p.m., another deputy responded to the first report of an explosion near 1st and E streets in Phillipsburg. The deputy couldn’t find the source, but thought the noise to be fireworks.
• By 8:31 p.m., dispatchers received three more calls about loud booms in the same area. Gaede responded. He spoke with residents and searched for the source of the noise. He contacted Griffith, who lived at 899 1st, which is at the corner 1st and E streets. Griffith denied being involved. Gaede cleared the call around 8:48 p.m. but remained nearby. He thought the noise was from fireworks that were not commercial grade, so he began searching state statute.
• At 9:18 p.m., a report of another explosion was made from the same area. Gaede, who was still there, observed smoke and approached Griffith, who was standing in his front yard. Griffith admitted he set off the explosion, with the intent to “provoke one of the citizens who had reported the previous explosion,” Stitt said. Gaede then attempted to arrest Griffith for criminal use of explosives, which is a felony, Stitt said.

Gaede had secured a handcuff on Griffith’s left wrist before the shooting happened, Stitt said.

“The investigation has not revealed that Griffith targeted Deputy Gaede,” Stitt said.

A backup deputy arrived within seconds of the shooting and started life-saving measures. Gaede was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 10:24 p.m.

“As part of the ongoing investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant for Griffith’s residence,” Stitt said. “The Kansas Highway Patrol Hazardous Devices Unit assisted with the search, which uncovered more than 33 pounds of explosive materials, including ammonium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, and commercial blasting caps. Investigators also recovered over 20 firearms and a large stockpile of ammunition.

Ammonium perchlorate can be used to make “rocket propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics,” according to information in the National Library of Medicine, which stated that ammonium nitrate can be “used to make fertilizers and explosives.”

Blasting caps are used for detonation.

This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 3:27 PM.