2 women dead after Kentucky church shooting; suspect killed by police
LOUISVILLE, KY − Two people were killed and three others were injured, including a state trooper, in a series of shootings in Kentucky, authorities said.
The shootings happened July 13 at about 11:36 a.m. ET in Lexington, Kentucky. Local police responded to a report of gunfire involving a Kentucky State Police trooper on Terminal Drive. The road runs past Blue Grass Airport in Fayette County.
The trooper had pulled over a vehicle after receiving a license plate reader alert in the area, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said at a news conference. The suspect shot the trooper, fled and later carjacked a vehicle.
The state trooper was in stable condition, Weathers said. No injuries were reported in the carjacking.
Officers were able to track the vehicle to the Richmond Road Baptist Church, where the suspect opened fire at people on the church property. Four people were shot, including two women who were pronounced dead at the scene and two men who were taken to a local hospital, Weathers said.
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn identified the dead as Beverly Gumm, 72, and Kristina Combs, 32, according to the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the Paste BN Network. Of the wounded, one sustained critical injuries while the other was reported in stable condition, according to the police chief.
The suspect, who wasn't immediately identified, was shot and killed by Lexington police. Weathers said three officers fired their service weapons under department policies.
"Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church," Weathers said. "The suspect was shot by responding law enforcement and was pronounced deceased at the scene."
Fayette County Coroner describes church as a tight-knit community
The county coroner noted that hundreds of officers were working the crime scene.
Ginn said his office responded to the Richmond Road Baptist Church, about 16 miles southeast of the Blue Grass Airport on the outskirts of Lexington, at about 12:56 p.m. local time.
"This church was a small church," Ginn said at the news conference. "The majority of the individuals that attend the church there are related biologically, some way or another. If not, they've been friends for many, many years. So it's a very tight-knit group of people."
He added that the families of the victims were at the church when the shooting occurred, and the coroner's office as able to notify them of the two deaths.
Shooting involving state trooper not tied to Blue Grass Airport
Earlier July 13, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post that a state trooper was among multiple people wounded in a series of shooting incidents.
Kentucky State Police said on X that the agency and the Lexington Police Department were "able to secure the suspect."
State police confirmed that there were multiple victims at the church and that emergency personnel were at the scene. At least one trooper is "receiving medical attention," police said at the time.
In a separate statement on X, the Lexington Police Department said the church shooting involved an officer. The police department added that the earlier shooting, in which the state trooper was wounded, occurred on Terminal Drive.
"While that shooting occurred on Terminal Drive, it was unrelated to the Blue Grass Airport," the police department said. Earlier, the airport reported that there was a law enforcement investigation "impacting a portion of Terminal Drive" but later said all flights and operations were operating as usual.
During the news conference, Weathers reiterated that the shooting was not related to the Blue Grass Airport and did not occur inside the airport terminal.
'Please pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence'
State officials offered their condolences and prayers for the dead and injured.
"Please pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence, and let’s give thanks for the swift response by the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police," the governor posted on X.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said the "attack on law enforcement and people of faith in Lexington shocked the entire Commonwealth."
“Today, violence invaded the Lord’s House," Coleman said in a statement. "We go to houses of worship to gather in fellowship, unite in faith, and reach toward our Creator. In light of this tragedy, we turn to God with our prayers for the injured Trooper and the victims’ families."
Kentucky state Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe said her prayers were with the community and the law enforcement agencies that responded to the shootings.
"When violence strikes where we gather to worship and serve, it shakes us deeply. But even in grief, I believe in the healing power of faith, prayer, and community," Mays Bledsoe said on X. To all those hurting right now − know that you are surrounded in prayer. As Kentuckians, and as people of faith, we’ll walk forward together with love, courage, and a steadfast hope that light will overcome darkness."
Contributing: Charles A. Ventura
(This story was updated to add new information.)