Grandmother fatally shot, leaving 8-year-old grandson. Police have arrested his father

An 8-year-old boy is in protective custody following a fatal shooting at his home Wednesday night. The Sedgwick County sheriff said the suspect is the boy’s father — and the victim his grandmother.

The boy lived with his grandmother, 49-year-old Sharmaine Burke, at a home in Longbranch Mobile Home Community near Derby.

Sheriff Jeff Easter said Burke called 911 at 11:32 p.m. and told emergency services that her son-in-law was drunk and threatening to shoot her. She also told them that her grandson was in the home. Moments later, the call-taker heard three gunshots, and then nothing.

When deputies arrived at 11:41, they found Burke with multiple gunshot wounds. They began first aid, but she died soon after that. The boy wasn’t there.

Law enforcement across the region was alerted and the search for the child and the suspect, a 29-year-old Wichita man, began.

At around 12:30, Flock cameras, surveillance cameras used by law enforcement, picked up the man’s vehicle in Augusta. Augusta police and Butler County law enforcement stopped the car outside of Augusta.

“During that car stop, the suspect refused to get out, so there was a period of time that they were negotiating with him to try to get him out of the vehicle and recover the child safely,” Easter said.

After 15 minutes of negotiating, The Butler County Sheriff’s Office arrested the man. The boy was unharmed.

The suspect was transferred to Sedgwick County. He was booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment Thursday morning. The Eagle does not name suspects until they are charged.

Easter said the boy’s mother had died last year.

“Our hearts go out to the family of the victim and to the young boy that suffered another tragedy so young in his life,” he said. “I don’t get the amount of gun violence that is taking place in this community at this point, and why someone would choose to take the life of someone who is taking care of his own child and now has left this child parentless.”

Easter said the boy has no other family members and remains in protective custody.

“I visited with him this morning where he’s at and seems to be doing okay,” he said. “He’s 8, so I’m not sure he grasps the complexity of everything that’s occurring here.”

This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 5:24 PM.