What we know about the shooting at a Kentucky church that killed 2 women
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Police assess the scene after a shooting at Richmond Road Baptist Church on July 13 in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo: Michael Swensen/Getty Images
A man who killed two people and injured others in a Sunday shooting at a Lexington Baptist church has been identified as 47-year-old Guy House, according to the Lexington Police Department.
The big picture: The now-deceased suspect shot a member of law enforcement near an airport in Fayette County before fleeing to the Richmond Road Baptist Church, according to state officials.
- Four people were shot on the property of the church that is also in Fayette County, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said at a Sunday news briefing.
- Two women were pronounced dead at the scene and two men were taken to a local hospital, officials said. The state trooper was in stable condition, per Lexington police.
The latest: The Fayette County Coroner's Office identified House as the alleged shooter, according to a Monday update from police.
Here's what we know about the shootings:
Where did the shootings occur?
The shootings occurred in Lexington, Kentucky.
- The first shooting occurred Sunday at 11:36am ET after the state trooper pulled over a vehicle on Terminal Drive, per Kentucky State Police.
- House allegedly shot the trooper on the road near Blue Grass Airport, but the shooting was "unrelated" to the airport, according to the Lexington Police Department.
- Soon after, police alleged House carjacked a vehicle on Belleau Wood Drive and fled to the church, where he shot four people. Responding law enforcement shot him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
What do we know about the suspect and victims?
Two women, 72-year-old Beverly Gumm and 34-year-old Christina Combs, were pronounced deceased at the scene, officials said.
- Of the two men wounded, one was reported to have sustained critical injuries, while the other was reported in stable condition.
- Some "good samaritans" provided "life-saving procedures" to the trooper, the state police said on X.
- Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn described the church community as "tight-knit," noting many members are biologically related.
Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church, Weathers said Sunday.
Go deeper: HHS drops surgeon general's advisory on gun violence
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information on the alleged shooter, a new photo and to correct the age of the younger victim to 34 (not 32, as officials in the coroner's office initially said at a press conference).
