A tragic shooting took place at Kentucky State University on Tuesday, leaving one student dead and another critically injured, AP reported. The incident took place inside Whitney M. Young Jr. Hall, one of the university’s residence halls. A suspect was later taken into custody, according to the Frankfort Police Department.
Shooting at Kentucky state university
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the shooting appears to be an “isolated case” and not a big planned attack. “This was not a mass shooting or a random incident based on what I’ve been told, and the suspected shooter is already in custody,” Beshear said in a video message. “That means that while this was scary, there is no ongoing threat and I believe our families are safe.”
In a message posted on X, he said, “Violence has no place in our commonwealth or country. Let’s please pray for the families affected and for our KSU students. Let’s also pray for a world where these things don’t happen. Thank you to our brave law enforcement who acted quickly to protect our people.”
Officers from the Frankfort Police Department, KSU campus police, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the emergency. Minutes after the deadly shooting, police in Frankfort, the capital of Kentucky, sealed the entire campus. Local TV footage from WLKY-TV in Louisville showed several police cars parked near a group of dorm buildings, with crime-scene tape placed across a courtyard.
In a Facebook post, law enforcement said the campus had been secured and confirmed that a suspect was in custody.
According to the university, the injured student is in critical but stable condition. Officials have not released the names of the students yet. In a statement, the school said, “We are in close contact with the families and are providing every available support to them.” Counselling and support services have been made available to all students.
Second shooting in four months
According to AP, this is the second shooting reported near the same area of the campus in the past four months. On August 17, someone fired several shots from a vehicle near Young Hall, targeting two people who were not students. One person had minor injuries, while the other suffered serious injuries.
In the recent KSU incident, Frankfort police described the situation as one involving an “active aggressor.” They said the campus has been secured, and more details will be shared during an evening press conference.