On Sunday (July 13), two women were shot and killed at a church in Lexington, Kentucky, by a suspect who is believed to have fled to the church after allegedly shooting a state trooper. Two men at the church were also shot and transported to the local hospital. One is stable, but the other is in critical condition.
The shooter was shot dead at the scene by police.
Prior to arriving at the church, the suspect was pulled over after a state trooper received a license plate reader alert that the car had been hijacked, according to The Guardian.
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After allegedly shooting the trooper, the assailant drove to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he shot four more people—including the church’s pastor, Jerry Gumm, Gumm’s wife, Beverly Gumm, Beverly’s daughter, Christina Combs, and Combs’ husband, Randy Combs.
Beverly Gumm, 72, and Christian Combs, 34, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The trooper and the other two victims were transported to a nearby hospital. The trooper is in stable condition. According to New York Post, Randy Combs is “awake” but Jerry Gumm is “sedated from surgery.”
Dasey Rutherford, another of Beverly Gumm’s daughters, told ABC News that the assailant had personally targeted their family, particularly Angel Rutherford, who is Dasey’s sister and who reportedly has three children with the shooter.
“He came here looking for her,” Dasey Rutherford said. After storming into the church on Sunday morning, the shooter was informed that Angel Rutherford was not present. Dasey Rutherford said that he responded by blurting out, “Someone’s going to have to die.”
He then reportedly opened fire.
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said at a press conference that the majority of the people at the church were related or “have been friends for many years.”
