Two people have been fatally shot at a church in Kentucky after a car chase that began with a gunman shooting and injuring a police officer, officials said.
The suspect shot a state trooper during a traffic stop before car-jacking a vehicle and driving to Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, where he opened fire at parishioners, before law enforcement shot him dead.
Two women, aged 72 and 32, died in Sunday’s incident at the place of worship, and two male parishioners were injured, said police.
Investigators believe the suspect had a connection to individuals at the church. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear posted on X that “violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country”.
The initial shooting occurred at 11:36 local time (15:36 GMT) on Sunday near the Blue Grass Airport, a regional hub in Fayette County.
A state trooper pulled over the suspect’s car on Terminal Drive after receiving a registration plate reader alert, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told a news conference. He said that incident had no connection to the airport.
The suspect shot the trooper, inflicting non-life threatening injuries, according to Chief Weathers.
The gunman then carried out a car-jacking, during which the vehicle’s occupant was not hurt, before driving towards the church about 16 miles (25km) away, with law enforcement in pursuit.
“The suspect fired his weapon at individuals on church property,” Chief Weathers said.
“Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church.”
Four people – two males and two females – were shot on church grounds.
An official from the county coroner’s office named the two women as Beverly Gum, 72, and Christina Combs, 32. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The two male victims were transported to a local hospital, with one sustaining critical injuries and the other in a stable condition.
“The suspect was shot by responding law enforcement and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” said Chief Weathers, adding that the gunman’s identity would be released once next-of-kin had been notified.
The county coroner official said the church was small and most attendees were either related or close friends.
“It’s a very tight-knit group of people,” he added.
The incident was being investigated by the Kentucky State Police and the department’s Public Integrity Unit.
