A gunman opened fire at a Kentucky church on Sunday, killing two women and injuring two men before fleeing the scene and shooting a state trooper near an airport, authorities said. The suspect was later shot and killed by police after a chaotic series of events that spanned multiple locations in Lexington. Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers described the incident as “extremely difficult,” acknowledging that the motive remained unclear.
The violence began when the suspect, whose identity has not been released, was pulled over by a state trooper near Blue Grass Airport around 11:30 a.m. After an exchange of gunfire that left the trooper wounded, the gunman carjacked a vehicle and drove about 10 miles to Richmond Road Baptist Church. There, he opened fire on churchgoers, killing two women and critically injuring one of the two wounded men. Police tracked the stolen car to the church, where they confronted and ultimately killed the suspect.
Chief Weathers said there was “some indication” the shooter may have known people at the church, but no clear motive has been established. The wounded trooper was hospitalized in stable condition, while the church victims’ conditions varied, with one man in critical care. Authorities emphasized that the airport shooting was unrelated to its operations, and normal flight activity resumed after a brief disruption.
Lexington police will conduct an internal review of the officer-involved shooting, as per department protocol. The Blue Grass Airport confirmed that while an investigation temporarily affected a nearby road, flights were not impacted. The community remains shaken as officials work to piece together the events leading to the tragic violence.