2 women killed in Kentucky church shooting after gunman shot trooper, officials say
Two women were shot and killed at a Kentucky church after a suspect who shot and wounded a state trooper fled there, officials said Sunday.
The two people who were killed were identified by officials as Beverly Gumm, 72, and Christina Combs, 34. Family members told CBS News they were a mother and daughter. The suspect was also killed, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said.
The suspect was later identified by the coroner as 47-year-old Guy House, who died from a gunshot wound at the church, CBS affiliate WKYT reported.
Two others, both men, were wounded by the gunman, Weathers said. Police said Monday that both men were in critical condition. The state trooper was in stable condition, Lexington police said in a statement.
Family members of the victims told CBS News on Monday that House showed up at the church looking for one of Gumm's daughters, who is the mother of his three children. When they said she wasn't there, he allegedly responded, "I guess someone is going to have to die."
The family members, who are Gumm's daughters, said House shot and killed their mother, and also shot their father, James, who is the pastor of the Richmond Road Baptist Church. The other victims, they said, were another one of their sisters, who was killed, and her husband, who was wounded.
The family told CBS News that House allegedly suffered from severe mental health issues, had an ongoing drug problem with methamphetamine and was under the influence when he shot their relatives.
Law enforcement officials have not addressed those allegations or released information about a possible motive.
The police chief said the shooting began after the trooper pulled over a vehicle near the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington.
After shooting the trooper before noon on Sunday, the suspect carjacked another vehicle and ended up at Richmond Road Baptist Church in southwest Lexington, state police said. No injuries were reported during the carjacking.
The shooting spree ended when Lexington police shot and killed the suspect, authorities said.
The trooper and two people who were wounded were being treated at a nearby hospital, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.
"Please pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence, and let's give thanks for the swift response by the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police," Beshear said.
Chief Weathers and Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton issued a joint statement Monday, saying: "Today, we join our community in mourning a painful act of violence — one that can tear at the fabric of what makes Lexington so special. Now, more than ever, it's important that we don't let this tragedy divide us, but instead lead us closer together."
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said the church is home to a small, tight-knit congregation.
State Attorney General Russell Coleman said detectives with his office were ready to support local and state agencies. "Today, violence invaded the Lord's House," Coleman said in a statement. "The attack on law enforcement and people of faith in Lexington shocked the entire Commonwealth."
