Suspect arrested in deadly shooting at homeless shelter in Henderson, Kentucky: What we know
HENDERSON, Ky. — A suspect was arrested Thursday night after police say he opened fire on a homeless shelter in Kentucky, killing two people and injuring two others.
About 15 people were inside the Harbor House Christian Center, a shelter for men, at the time of the shooting. The suspect was arrested about two hours later at a nearby boat ramp, said Henderson Police Department Chief Sean McKinney.
Police believe the suspect was a resident of the homeless shelter.
Henderson is located in western Kentucky and across the river from Evansville, Indiana.
More: Killings of homeless men in NYC and DC elicit 'shock and horror.' What needs to change?
Here's what we know Friday morning:
When and where did the shooting happen?
The shooting occurred before 8 p.m. Thursday at the Harbor House Christian Center, a shelter for men who need housing, meals, and assistance with finding employment.
Henderson police arrived at Harbor House and found several people with gunshot injuries, some fatal. Two people died. Henderson City Commissioner Robert Pruitt confirmed the first fatality and city spokeswoman Donna Stinnett confirmed the second to the Courier & Press, part of the Paste BN Network.
Who is the suspect?
In a Facebook post, Henderson police identified the suspect as Kenneth R. Gibbs of Henderson.
Henderson Police Department Chief Sean McKinney said Gibbs was identified as the shooter by witnesses at the shelter. Gibbs was located at 9:45 p.m. at a nearby boat ramp, about 3 miles from the shelter.
McKinney said Gibbs was armed when he was arrested. Police believe Gibbs was a resident at the center, Stinnett said.
Gibbs, 37, was booked on two charges of murder, according to the Henderson County Detention Center website.
Brian McClain, a resident at Harbor House, told the Courier & Press he was resting in the dormitory area when a man he believed to be the shooter suddenly flipped on the lights.
"He looked at me funny and shut the light back off, and when he went out the dorm room, it wasn’t five seconds later I heard shots," he said, adding he heard what he believed to be a handgun fire "eight or nine shots."
Who are the victims?
On Friday, Henderson police said those killed were Steven Wathen, 67, and Chad Holmes, 44. Both men lived at Harbor House.
Two other residents were injured in the shooting.
What is Harbor House?
On its Facebook page, Harbor House describes it as "a safe harbor for men in need. Harbor House is a Christian-based organization dedicated to bringing men up in the community, by promoting a God-based foundation."
Henderson sits along the Ohio River and is the county seat of Henderson County, Kentucky. The population is about 28,757, according to the latest U.S. census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area.