Kentucky Church Shooting Update

Authorities have identified a 47-year-old man as a suspect in a shooting that occurred at a church in Kentucky on Sunday.

The suspect allegedly shot a state trooper in Lexington before fleeing to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he opened fire, according to police reports. Tragically, two women were killed, and two men were injured.

The victims have been confirmed as 34-year-old Christina Combs and her mother, 72-year-old Beverly Gum. The family shared that Gum and Combs were related, further adding to the tragedy. The other male victims were Randy Combs, Christina’s husband, and Jerry Gumm, Beverly’s husband, as reported by local news outlets.

As per the Fayette County Coroner’s Office, the shooter was identified as Guy E. House. The police released details that the two deceased women were caught in the crossfire during the incident.

It appears that the shooting may have been aimed at a family member, specifically Angel Rutherford, who has children of her own. The family revealed that the suspect had sought out Angel at the church, and upon being informed she wasn’t there, he is said to have exclaimed, “Someone will have to die,” according to Starr Rutherford, who spoke to the press.

Starr mentioned that her mother was deeply devoted to the church community. Meanwhile, the state trooper involved in the initial shooting was stabilized after receiving medical care.

The suspect was eventually confronted by law enforcement and was shot dead at the scene, as confirmed by Police Commissioner Lawrence Weathers. Governor Andy Beshear expressed his sorrow, stating that such violence is unacceptable and encouraged the community to pray for the affected families.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing and is being handled by the Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team.