Two women tragically lost their lives in a shooting incident at the Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, on Sunday. The assailant, who had previously shot a police officer nearby, was later killed by law enforcement officials. The victims, aged 72 and 32, succumbed to their injuries on the scene.
Police reported that two male parishioners sustained injuries during the attack, and a state trooper injured in the initial encounter is currently in stable condition after receiving hospital treatment. Investigators suspect the shooter had connections to individuals associated with the church.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expressed his sadness via social media, stating, "violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country." The sequence of events began around 11:36 am local time when a state trooper attempted to pull over the suspect's vehicle near Blue Grass Airport after a registration plate alert was triggered.
Following the encounter, the suspect opened fire on the trooper, then carjacked a separate vehicle while fleeing towards the church, located approximately 16 miles away, all while being pursued by law enforcement. The tragedy underscores the ongoing concerns regarding gun violence in the region.
