LEXINGTON, Kentucky. Two women were killed and two others injured in a shooting at a church in Lexington on Sunday, after a suspect wounded a state trooper during a traffic stop and fled the scene, authorities said. The suspect was later shot and killed by police.
According to Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, the violence began around 11:30 a.m. when a Kentucky State Police trooper was shot during a traffic stop near the city’s airport. The suspect then carjacked a vehicle and drove to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he opened fire.
The Fayette County Coroner identified the deceased victims as a 72-year-old woman and a 32-year-old woman. Two other individuals were wounded and taken to a local hospital. One remains in critical condition while the other is reported to be in stable condition.
Police said the suspect, whose identity has not been released pending notification of family, was shot dead at the scene by responding officers. Chief Weathers stated that preliminary information suggests the suspect may have had a connection to individuals at the church.
The church, located about 16 miles from the site of the initial traffic stop, is home to a small and close-knit congregation, according to Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn.
Governor Andy Beshear expressed condolences and gratitude for the swift response by law enforcement, writing on social media, “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.”
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman also condemned the attack, saying, “Today, violence invaded the Lord’s House. The attack on law enforcement and people of faith in Lexington shocked the entire Commonwealth.”
The investigation into the shootings remains ongoing.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
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