Kentucky Church Shooting Leaves Two Women Dead

A gunman shot and injured a state trooper during a traffic stop near Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport before carjacking a vehicle and driving to Richmond Road Baptist Church, shooting parishioners. The incident resulted in the deaths of two women, aged 72 and 32, and injured two male parishioners. The suspect was shot and killed by law enforcement officers who responded to the scene.

According to Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, the initial shooting occurred at 11:36 local time on Sunday when a state trooper pulled over the suspect’s car on Terminal Drive after receiving a registration plate reader alert.

The suspect shot the trooper, inflicting non-life-threatening injuries, before carjacking a vehicle and driving towards the church about 16 miles away. “The suspect fired his weapon at individuals on church property,” Chief Weathers said. “Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church.”

The two women killed in the shooting were identified as Beverly Gum, 72, and Christina Combs, 32. The two male victims were transported to a local hospital, with one sustaining critical injuries and the other in stable condition. “The suspect was shot by responding law enforcement and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” said Chief Weathers, adding that the gunman’s identity would be released once next-of-kin had been notified.

The church, Richmond Road Baptist Church, is a small, tight-knit community where most attendees are either related or close friends. “It’s a very tight-knit group of people,” said the county coroner official. The incident is being investigated by the Kentucky State Police and the department’s Public Integrity Unit.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expressed his condolences, posting on X that “violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country”. He also thanked law enforcement for their swift response, saying “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”.

Senator Rand Paul also responded to the tragedy, stating that he was “saddened to hear about the tragic shootings.” He added, “Kelley and I are praying for all the victims, the injured trooper, and their families. We are grateful for the brave first responders. Violence like this has no place”.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the motive behind the attack and whether the suspect had any connections to the church or its members.