Cloud County Sheriff's Office Investigates Weekend Shooting as Being a Suicide

The Cloud County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) are conducting a death investigation after a shooting occurred this past weekend at a party in rural Cloud County.

On Saturday, September 16th at around 11:25 pm, a Clay Center resident called the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office to request help locating a family member who was a 14-year-old female.  The girl was believed to have run away, and was thought to be attending a party near Aurora, Kansas.

A deputy responded to the outdoor field party that was attended by college and high school students, occurring near 210th Rd. and Lark Rd., in Aurora.  The deputy located the girl, and tried to convince her to return to her family.  He was escorting her to his patrol vehicle, when she pulled out a firearm and shot herself.  The deputy did not draw his firearm.

The sheriff’s deputy and an off-duty firefighter attempted life-saving measures, but the girl was pronounced dead at the scene, shortly after midnight.

The Cloud County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance to conduct the death investigation to ensure impartiality since their deputy was present during the shooting.

Multiple partygoers witnessed the incident and offered interviews.

The investigation is ongoing.