KANSAS CITY, Kan.— On some of her days off, Sheriff Deputy Theresa King would drive to Linwood, Kansas, to spend time on Meg Rauh’s 20-acre ranch.
“Right away we hit it off,” Rauh told 41 Action News Saturday.
The two met in late April as King - affectionately known as “TK” - sought a new home for her four horses: Roper, Coke, Flash and Piper.
“She was so excited to have them so close,” Rauh said.
The pair developed a bond as King, a single mother, shared stories of three children.
Rauh told 41 Action News King had recently completed training to become a school resource officer, her assignment would put her at her seven-year-old daughter’s school.
“You could tell she was so excited for the future,” Rauh said.
Until tragedy struck Friday morning.
Rauh’s husband, a Lenexa Fire Captain, broke the news.
“He said ‘have you heard the news?’ and I’m like, ‘no what news? and he was like Theresa was shot and I froze because she’s a mom, she’s a friend to a lot of people,” Rauh said.
Rauh added King was close to KCK Police Captain Dave Melton and Detective Brad Lancaster who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2016.
In the aftermath, King and her colleagues established “the Lancaster Melton Peace Keepers” to help the families of fallen officers.
Saturday evening, there were are once again signs of support of the thin blue line in downtown KCK.
Earlier in the day, Rauh’s older children posted about their mother on social media.
Another of King’s friends, JJ Karlinger, created a GoFundMe campaign to help her family.
