Gunman kills two women at Kentucky church after shooting Police officer
A tragic shooting unfolded in Lexington, Kentucky, on Sunday after a gunman opened fire at a local church, killing two women and injuring two others, following an earlier encounter in which he shot and wounded a state trooper.
The violence began just before noon near Blue Grass Airport, where a Kentucky state trooper attempted a traffic stop prompted by a license plate alert.
According to Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, the suspect opened fire during the stop, striking the trooper with non-life-threatening injuries.
From there, the assailant fled the scene, carjacked a vehicle, leaving its occupant unharmed, and sped toward Richmond Road Baptist Church, located roughly 16 miles away. Law enforcement officers pursued the suspect.
“The suspect fired his weapon at individuals on church property,” Chief Weathers said during a press briefing.
“Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church.”
Once at the church, the gunman opened fire on congregants. Four people were struck, two men and two women.
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office later identified the deceased as Beverly Gum, 72, and Christina Combs, 32. Both women were declared dead at the scene. The two injured men were transported to a nearby hospital; one remains in critical condition while the other is stable.
Responding officers shot and killed the suspect at the scene. His identity has not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.
The shooting sent shockwaves through the community. A local official described the church congregation as a close-knit family: “It’s a very tight-knit group of people.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear took to social media to denounce the attack. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said: “Violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country.”
The investigation is being led by the Kentucky State Police and the department’s Public Integrity Unit, as authorities work to piece together what led to the fatal rampage.
Gunman kills two women at Kentucky church after shooting Police officer
