Deputy shot and killed, suspect killed in Phillipsburg fireworks call

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to indicate the correct rank of the deputy killed, after the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s office corrected its news release. 

PHILLIPSBURG, Kan. (KSNW) — A Kansas deputy and a suspect were both killed in a shooting Friday night in Phillipsburg.

It happened around 9:30 p.m. at a home near 1st and E Street. Authorities say Phillips County Deputy Brandon Gaede was responding to a report of illegal fireworks and tried to arrest 27-year-old Colton Griffith.

During the arrest, Griffith pulled a gun and shot Gaede. The deputy returned fire, killing Griffith at the scene. Gaede was taken to a hospital but died shortly after.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation asked the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office to lead the independent investigation into the shooting. Detectives are reviewing witness accounts, medical reports, and physical evidence as they work to piece together the full timeline of events.

The findings will be turned over to the Phillips County Attorney once the investigation is complete.

A social media post from the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office in July of 2024 said Brandon Gaede was promoted from Sergeant to Undersheriff, but he was again serving as a deputy at the time of his death.

The Farmer’s State Bank in Phillipsburg is collecting donations for the family. Gaede is reportedly survived by his wife and three children.

Multiple law enforcement agencies shared condolences online, including departments from Garden City, Maize, Pottawatomie County, and others.

In a statement, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office called Gaede “a devoted public servant, friend, and beloved family member” who gave his life in the line of duty while protecting the Phillipsburg community.

To help support the family, Sedgwick County FOP Lodge #74 created a GoFundMe page.

Local law enforcement lined the nearby streets and gathered at the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center on Saturday afternoon to honor the fallen deputy as his body arrived.

“As you saw in the procession, nearly every single municipality within Sedgwick County came together to honor this deputy,” said Branden Stitt, with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.

“Even if you are fallen, you’ll never be forgotten,” said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “And this is just the very beginning of the support that this family, who is obviously devastated right now, will receive from law enforcement. It will not end with the funeral. It will continue forever.”