Three dead, including gunman, in Kentucky shootings at church and airport

NBC News

3 days ago

Three people are dead, including the gunman, in a pair of shootings Sunday at Kentucky's Blue Grass Airport and at a storied Lexington church across town, authorities said.
The unidentified shooter struck a Kentucky State Police trooper on a terminal road at Blue Grass Airport at 11:36 a.m., Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said. The trooper had pulled the gunman over after having received a license plate reader alert in the area.
'The trooper was shot and the suspect fled,' Weathers said, adding that the trooper was stabilized and receiving treatment.
Law enforcement caught up with the shooter at Richmond Road Baptist Church, about 16 miles to the southeast, where he also opened fire, Weathers said.
Officers fatally shot the gunman, he said, but not before at least four people at the church were struck, two fatally.
'Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church,' Weathers said. 'Four individuals were shot on church property.'
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn identified the two women pronounced dead at the scene as Beverly Gumm, 72, and Christina Combs, 32. Social media and public records indicate Gumm was Combs' mother and was married to the church's pastor.
Of the two male victims shot at the church, one is in critical condition, while the other was stabilized, Weathers said.
Ginn said he had not yet notified the gunman's family of his death so he cannot yet release his identity, which he said is known to police.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear addressed the series of shootings in a post on X.
'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,' Beshear wrote. 'Details are still emerging, and we will share more information as available.'
The Lexington Fire Department said it responded to a shooting at the airport at 11:39 a.m. and transported one person with 'serious injuries' to the hospital, according to NBC affiliate WLEX of Lexington.
Blue Grass Airport confirmed in a statement that an 'incident' occurred on airport property. The airport said that it temporarily closed a roadway and a terminal as a precaution but that they were later reopened.
Weathers emphasized the shooting was not related to the airport.
He said state troopers, along with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were assisting Lexington detectives with the investigation.
He had nothing on a possible motive but noted that the church is home to a tight-knit group of worshippers.
State Attorney General Russell Coleman thanked first responders in a statement and said he was praying for the families. His office was also ready to assist the agencies involved, he added.
'This is another reminder of the grave danger we ask law enforcement to face every single day,' Coleman said.
CORRECTION (July 13, 2025, 6:57 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misidentified the Fayette County coroner. He is Gary Ginn, not Bob Baker.