Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers speaks during a media conference at Lexington Police headquarters in downtown Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Suspect kills 2 women in Kentucky church after shooting state trooper, police say
Two women were killed in a shooting at a Lexington, Kentucky, church in a shooting rampage that began after a state trooper was shot and wounded, authorities said
Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Timothy D. Easley | AP
Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Timothy D. Easley | AP
Law enforcement members respond to a shooting near Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Ryan C. Hermens | Lexington Herald-Leader
Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers speaks during a media conference at Lexington Police headquarters in downtown Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Ryan C. Hermens | Lexington Herald-Leader
Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Two women died Sunday at a church in Lexington, Kentucky, in a shooting rampage that began when a state trooper was wounded after making a traffic stop, police said. The suspect in both shootings was also killed.
The suspect carjacked a vehicle after the traffic stop near Lexington's airport and fled to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he opened fire, city Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said. Killed in the shootings at the church were a 72-year-old woman and a 32-year-old woman, the local coroner said.
Two other people were wounded at the church and taken to a local hospital, the police chief said. One victim sustained critical injuries and the other was in stable condition, Weathers said.
The suspect was shot by police and died at the scene, he said. The suspect was not immediately identified pending notification of family, he said.
ƵPreliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church,Ƶ the police chief said at a news conference.
The trooper stopped the vehicle after receiving a Ƶlicense plate reader alertƵ and was shot about 11:30 a.m., Weathers said. The trooper was in stable condition, he said.
Police tracked the carjacked vehicle to the Baptist church, the police chief said. The church is about 16 miles 26 kilometers) from where the trooper was shot.
The shootings remain under investigation, Weathers said.
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said the church is home to a small, tight-knit congregation.
ƵPlease pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence, and letƵs give thanks for the swift response by the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police,Ƶ Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post.
State Attorney General Russell Coleman said detectives with his office were ready to support local and state agencies. ƵToday, violence invaded the LordƵs House,Ƶ Coleman said in a statement. ƵThe attack on law enforcement and people of faith in Lexington shocked the entire Commonwealth."
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