In the late evening of September 10, 2016, a dispute between two men in Wichita, Kansas, culminated in the tragic death of 32-year-old Brandon Kirksey. The incident unfolded in the 2000 block of West Rita, near Meridian and Pawnee, where police responded to a shooting call around 7:55 p.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered Kirksey lying face down in a driveway with a gunshot wound to his neck.
He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead by 8:30 p.m.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that Kirksey had been involved in an ongoing dispute with another man, identified as 24-year-old Charles S. Johnston. On the evening of the shooting, Kirksey had gone to Johnston's home in the 1900 block of West Rita. According to police reports, when Kirksey arrived, Johnston began firing a gun. Kirksey attempted to flee, running west on Rita, but was struck by a bullet in the neck. The police investigation concluded that the shooting was not gang-related.
Following the incident, Charles S. Johnston was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Brandon Kirksey's death. However, Johnston was never formally charged in the case. Further investigation and a review of the evidence led to the conclusion that Johnston had acted in self-defense during the altercation. In a later, unrelated incident in April 2017, Johnston was killed in an officer-involved shooting following a police chase that spanned four counties.
