Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas
End of Watch: Friday, June 27, 2025
Undersheriff Brandon Gaede was shot and killed while arresting a subject at 899 1st Street in Phillipsburg around 9:28 p.m.
After receiving a call about loud booms and explosions around 6:00 p.m., responding officers were unable to find the source but cleared the area, attributing the noise to fireworks. At 8:30 p.m., Undersheriff Gaede responded to the scene after three more calls were made. When he encountered a subject outside his house, the man denied setting off fireworks. Undersheriff Gaede cleared the call but stayed in the area, believing that someone was exploding something stronger than commercial-grade fireworks. Another call came in regarding explosives at 9:18, and Undersheriff Gaede was immediately on the scene and found the same subject in his yard and smoke nearby. The man admitted to setting off explosives, not commercial-grade fireworks, a felony in Kansas. While placing the subject in handcuffs, the man pulled out a concealed handgun and shot Undersheriff Gaede five times. He returned fire, killing the subject.
Undersheriff Gaede was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds less than an hour later.
An investigation revealed the suspect had more than 33 pounds of illegal explosive materials, over 20 firearms, and a stockpile of ammunition.
Undersheriff Gaede had served with the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office for eight years. He is survived by his wife and three children.