On Sunday, a deadly rampage in Kentucky left two women dead. Many more were injured in the outbreak of violence including a Mississippi state trooper. The incident began when a trooper pulled over a vehicle near an airport after receiving an alert from a license plate reader. After shooting the trooper, the still-unnamed suspect fled to the church across the street. There, the trip prompted an extreme moment of peril.
At this time, the injured trooper is recovering at a local hospital. The shooter’s rampage began shortly after noon. A trooper attempting to make a routine traffic stop in the Versailles Road area when it occurred. Following being shot, the suspect carjacked a vehicle in the 3700 block of Belleau Wood Drive. From there, he found Richmond Road Baptist Church.
At the church, the suspect fired inside, killing a 72-year-old and a 32-year-old woman. Tragically, neither were pronounced dead at the scene. Two of the men were reported injured in the attack, one severely. One remains in critical condition, while the other was recently upgraded to stable.
In reply to the developing, dangerous violence, Dispatched to the disturbance, three Lexington Police Officers discharged their service weapons during the incident. According to Lexington police, “Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to individuals at the church.” The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team is heading the investigation into the critical incident that unfolded Wednesday. At the same time, the Public Integrity Unit is doing their own internal review.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear addresses reporters in the hours following the incident. Perhaps most importantly, he implored us to let empathy for others guide our actions during such dark, confusing times.
“Violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country. Please join [my wife] Britainy and me as we pray for the families of those lost, each one a child of God gone too soon. Thank you to the @lexkypolice and @kystatepolice for their brave efforts today.” – Andy Beshear
Beshear called for community support:
“Kentucky, let’s stand strong together and support our Lexington neighbors during this difficult time.” – Andy Beshear
As investigations into the incident are ongoing, authorities are awaiting positive identification and release of information from the Fayette County Coroner’s Office as to the victims killed. As the community continues to deal with the shock and violence surrounding this specific incident, they search for peace and understanding in the wake of tragedy.