The man who died this week after being shot by a neighbor in an alleged ambush last week was a devoted Christian and family man who leaves behind a wife, three kids and a grandchild.
Brandon Kay, 45, died Tuesday after sustaining two gunshot wounds as he stepped outside his home on Jan. 8. His neighbor, James Joseph Rios, faces aggravated murder and many other charges tied to the shooting. Kay’s son was also shot and injured in the incident.
“Whether serving at church, helping others quietly behind the scenes or showing up faithfully for family and friends, Brandon lived a life marked by humility, generosity and unwavering love,” reads Kay’s obituary.
A GoFundMe* account has been created by Kay’s supporters and it similarly lauds his devotion to family and friends and his work ethic.
“As a father, Brandon showed how to provide and lead through his example and conduct. He was an amazing Papa to his precious grandchild. Brandon worked his tail off for his family by steadily and faithfully going to work at the same job for nearly 21 years,” it reads.
Police were called to the 1300 block of 5800 South around 10 p.m. on Jan. 8 after receiving reports of shots being fired and resulting injuries. Rios had allegedly been firing a weapon from his home and Kay, hearing the ruckus, exited his home to investigate. Upon leaving his home, he was shot twice by Rios, once in the stomach and once in the head, according to charging documents. One of Kay’s sons, who had also exited the home to investigate the noise, sustained a gunshot wound to his foot.
In all, Rios faces aggravated murder and six counts of attempted aggravated murder, first-degree felonies; five counts of felony discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony; and a count of aggravated cruelty to an animal, a class A misdemeanor. Rio also is accused of shooting and killing a Dachshund dog owned by the Kay family and firing on his own daughter and four responding police officers, though they weren’t hit.
Kay’s obituary said he worked at a machine shop in Ogden and enjoyed riding motorcycles, playing pickleball and making occasional weekend trips to Wendover, Nevada. “He loved being active, spending time outdoors and simply being with those he loved. He also found great joy in playing with his beloved Dachshund, Samson, whose companionship brought constant laughter and comfort, and who was also tragically lost in the incident.”
The obituary and GoFundMe post highlight Kay’s strong religious grounding. “He loved the Lord with all of his heart and served God and others in every way he could. His favorite scripture, Isaiah 53:5-6, reflected the foundation of his faith and the hope he clung to throughout his life,” the obituary says.
The post also focused on Kay’s relationship with family, friends and co-workers, saying he “was a friend to everyone he met.”
“There is a hole in everyone Brandon knew that he leaves in our hearts and in our community that is too large for any one person to ever fill again,” the GoFundMe post reads.
What prompted Rios’ alleged rampage isn’t totally clear. “During the investigation, Rios admitted to intentionally firing at his neighbors’ residence. Rios stated he acted due to internal anger,” charging documents say.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.