The incident began at 11:30 AM on 13/7 when Kentucky State Police stopped a suspicious vehicle near Blue Grass Airport in Fayette County. The suspect shot and wounded a state trooper.
The suspect then carjacked another vehicle and drove to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he opened fire on those present, killing two and wounding two others. Police officers then shot and killed the suspect.
Authorities identified the deceased as 34-year-old Christina Combs and 72-year-old Beverly Gumm. Two men were injured and taken to a hospital; one is in critical condition, and the other is in stable condition. The state trooper shot near the airport is also in stable condition.
"There are days like today where it’s just really bad. Sometimes things happen, and you don’t know why," said Lawrence Weathers, Lexington police chief.
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Security forces cordoned off the area around the shooting in Kentucky on 13/7. Photo: WDKY |
Security forces cordoned off the area around the shooting in Kentucky on 13/7. Photo: WDKY
Police have not released the suspect’s identity or a motive for the shooting. They did say, however, that there are indications the suspect knew the victims at the church.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear asked for prayers for the victims and expressed gratitude for law enforcement. "Please pray for all those impacted by this senseless act of violence. Let’s also be thankful for the quick response by the Lexington Police Department and the Kentucky State Police," he wrote on social media.
In the US, a shooting is classified as a mass shooting when four or more people, excluding the perpetrator, are shot. The Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a non-profit organization that tracks gun violence incidents, reports that there have been over 200 mass shootings in the US this year.
Thuy Lam (Reuters, CNN)
