Two women tragically lost their lives on Sunday during a shooting incident at a church in Lexington, Kentucky. This violent event began with a state trooper being injured after a traffic stop, leading to a series of events that escalated rapidly.
According to city Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, the suspect carjacked a vehicle shortly after the traffic stop, fleeing to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he opened fire. The two victims included a 72-year-old woman and a 32-year-old woman, as reported by the local coroner.
In addition to the fatalities, two other individuals sustained injuries in the church shooting and were transported to a nearby hospital. One of the injured was reported to be in critical condition, while the other was stable. The shooter was killed at the scene by police, although his identity has not been released pending family notification.
Chief Weathers indicated that preliminary information suggests the suspect may have had a connection to some of the churchgoers. The incident began when a trooper received an alert about a vehicle’s license plate and stopped the car around 11:30 a.m. Fortunately, the trooper is now in stable condition.
Police were able to track the stolen vehicle to the church, located about 16 miles away from where the trooper was shot. The investigation into the shootings is ongoing, according to law enforcement.
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn described the church community as a small, close-knit group deeply affected by this senseless act of violence. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear urged the public to pray for those impacted and expressed gratitude for the quick response from local law enforcement.
State Attorney General Russell Coleman echoed these sentiments, stating, “Today marks a shocking intrusion of violence into a place of worship.” He affirmed his office’s readiness to assist local and state agencies in the aftermath of this incident.
