MENU
SEARCHThe patrol partner of Deputy Robert Kunze—a 12-year veteran of the Sedgwick County (KS) Sheriff's Office who was shot and killed Sunday while responding to a suspicious character call—has broken his silence with a post to a social media page.
Deputy Sheriff Robert Kunze was shot and killed while investigating a suspicious person call. Image courtesy of Sedgwick County SO.
The patrol partner of Deputy Robert Kunze—a 12-year veteran of the Sedgwick County (KS) Sheriff's Office who was shot and killed Sunday while responding to a suspicious character call—has broken his silence with a post to a social media page.
Deputy Tony Farias was the first deputy to arrive on scene Sunday afternoon after Kunze was shot and killed in the line of duty.
The text of Farias' post is pasted in its entirety below.
I don't want to, but I feel it's finally time to break my silence so here it goes....
On Sep. 16 2018 my Sedgwick County family lost a extremely valuable member of our team. Robert Kunze was not only a great deputy, but he was a great person. I don't know a single person that EVER said a bad thing about this man and he could make a stranger feel like family in seconds.
Deputy Kunze didn't know the evil he was about to walk into on Sep 16.
Deputy Kunze and I were dispatched to your "everyday call" (a suspicious character). Prior to the call, we messaged each other getting our locations coordinated so we could arrive at the same time.
The location we were given had changed and Deputy Kunze just happened to roll up on it. He notified everyone of the location change upon arrival. Due to me just arriving at the original location I headed towards my partner. HE KNEW I WAS CLOSE....
I arrived on scene shortly after, having no idea of the events that just occurred. Deputy Kunze had suffered a wound that doctors said no human would be able to function after receiving. Deputy Kunze was no regular human.... And HE KNEW I WAS CLOSE.....
After receiving this wound Deputy Kunze did the impossible and demolished the evil that thought it had him beat. He made the hardest decision anyone can make in seconds. HE KNEW I WAS CLOSE....
I believe Deputy Kunze found strength to protect incoming deputies (including me) from this evil and knew he had to eliminate it. ASAP! nothing was going to stop him from doing so. Certainly not some fatal wound....
I owe my life to this hero who made the ultimate sacrifice to bring justice to evil and to protect me. Kunze did not know the evil he was about to walk into, but faced it down in true Kunze fashion. The devil himself couldn't have stopped Kunze that day and he proved that. I did not know what I was walking into that day either. That day will haunt me for the rest of my life....
My condolences go out to his family. I will always be here for you. Thank you to everyone who has reached out or attempted to reach out. If I didn't get back to you its cause I'm overwhelmed, heartbroken, and feeling so many emotions.
Thank you Deputy Robert Kunze for not only the actions you took that day, but the actions you took everyday in how you conducted yourself.
You are the definition of a hero, I love you and I owe my life to you....
Deputy Kunze is survived by his wife and child.
Join POLICE as we visit with Steve Atkinson of Traka and learn about the company’s asset management cabinets and key lockers.
Read More →
Team Wendy shared data about DREW, a biofidelic helmet-test rig built to simulate real head-to-ground falls and capture both linear and rotational head motion, during the recent Personal Armour Systems Symposium in Belgium.
Read More →
The 2026 US Police and Fire Championships, featuring more than 35 Olympic-style events and new competitions, will return to San Diego, California.
Read More →
In honor of National First Responders Day, FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends will host a live audience made up of first responders and their families. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency personnel have been invited to attend the live program.
Read More →
Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.
Read More →
Last week, during IACP 2025, Axon unveiled what it called the next evolution of its connected public safety ecosystem. Key launches included Prepared by Axon, new Axon Assistant and Axon Air Drone as First Responder (DFR) capabilities, and Community Shield and Community Link.
Read More →
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips with a yellow headline that reads When Do You Transport a Wounded Officer Instead of Waiting for EMS?
Read More →
The first – and worst – time I had to fight to keep my gun, my holster and duty belt held up far better than my training did.
Read More →
Streamlight has launched the Wedge SL, an ultra-thin, USB-C rechargeable light designed for users who want pocketable power.
Read More →
Watch expanded coverage of IACP 2025 as the POLICE Magazine team walks the aisles at the expo and shares what we found interesting on display for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →