Kentucky judge shot and killed in courthouse chambers, governor says

Associated Press

WHITESBURG, Ky. (AP) — A judge successful a agrarian Kentucky region was changeable and killed astatine nan section courthouse connected Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced.

A fishy successful nan shooting has been taken into custody, Kentucky State Police said.

Authorities did not instantly place nan shooting unfortunate aliases nan suspect.

The territory judge was changeable successful his chambers, nan politician said successful a societal media post.

“There is acold excessively overmuch unit successful this world, and I believe location is simply a way to a amended tomorrow,” Beshear said.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said his agency will collaborate pinch a commonwealth’s lawyer successful nan region arsenic typical prosecutors successful nan case.

“We will afloat analyse and prosecute justice,” Coleman said connected societal media.

The shooting occurred astatine nan Letcher County courthouse successful Whitesburg. The Appalachian municipality successful southeastern Kentucky is 146 miles (235 kilometers) southeast of Lexington, Kentucky.

The shooting is being investigated by Kentucky State Police. State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart called it an isolated incident and said location was nary threat to nan public. But he offered nary specifications astir nan shooting.

Several area schools were concisely placed connected lockdown, including Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College and Letcher County Schools, according to media reports.