A shooter took the lives of two women at a church in Kentucky and also shot a state trooper outside an airport, according to authorities.
The shooter was subsequently killed by police.
The fatalities occurred at the Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington. Two men were injured at the scene, one of whom is in critical condition, as reported by Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers during a press briefing.
Authorities have not disclosed the name or age of the suspect.
The suspect opened fire on the trooper after being stopped near Blue Grass Airport around 11:30 am in Fayette County, Mr. Weathers stated.
The incident occurred along a roadway surrounding the airport but was unrelated to airport operations, police clarified.
The trooper is currently stable and receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.
The suspect then carjacked a vehicle approximately 16 km from the airport and fled to the Richmond Road Baptist Church, where the individual began shooting at people on the church premises.
Police were able to track the carjacked vehicle to the church’s location.
The police chief did not specify a motive for the shootings but indicated that the suspect might have had some acquaintance with individuals at the church.
Mr. Weathers mentioned that the Lexington police would perform an internal review of the shooting in accordance with department policies.
The Blue Grass Airport announced on X at 1 pm local time (6 pm Irish time) that a law enforcement investigation was affecting part of an airport road, but confirmed that all flights and operations were running normally.
