Kentucky church shooting: Suspect identified after killing 2, wounding trooper
2 dead in Lexington church shooting, KY officials say
Two women are dead after a shooting at a Kentucky church on Sunday, officials said. The shooting suspect also shot and wounded a state trooper during a traffic stop near the Blue Grass Airport before fleeing to the Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, where they shot four additional people. Police said the suspect was also killed. Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said that while the identity of the suspect has not yet been released, "preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church." "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," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in a statement on social media. There was also an 'active aggressor' situation at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville on Sunday evening, prompting the arena to be evacuated, but police said there are no victims.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Authorities have identified the suspected gunman who opened fire on a trooper and churchgoers, killing two, in Kentucky on Sunday.
Lexington Police believe the gunman was 47-year-old Guy E. House.
Gunman shoots trooper, churchgoers
The backstory:
The shooting rampage began Sunday when a state trooper was wounded after making a traffic stop near Blue Grass Airport, police said.
RELATED: Kentucky church shooting leaves 2 dead, several injured after suspect shoots state trooper
The trooper stopped the vehicle after receiving a "license plate reader alert" and was shot about 11:30 a.m. local time, Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said. The trooper was in stable condition, he said.
Multiple people were hurt in a shooting Sunday, July 13, 2025, at a church in Kentucky. Image: WDKY
The suspect then carjacked a vehicle after the traffic stop and fled to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he opened fire, 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.
Local reports said the deceased victims were a mother, Beverly Gumm, and her daughter, Christina Combs.
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.
Police tracked the carjacked vehicle to the Baptist church, the police chief said. The church is about 16 miles from where the trooper was shot.
Who is Guy E. House?
What we know:
House was shot by police and died at the scene, police said.
Authorities believe House had a connection to the church but didn't elaborate.
Multiple people were hurt in a shooting Sunday, July 13, 2025, at a church in Kentucky. Image: WDKY
"Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church," the police chief said at a news conference Sunday.
What we don't know:
A motive for the shootings has not been determined.
What's next:
The shootings remain under investigation, Weathers said.
What they're saying:
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said the church is home to a small, tight-knit congregation.
"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," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post.
Multiple people were hurt in a shooting Sunday, July 13, 2025, at a church in Kentucky. Image: WDKY
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."
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from statements made by the Lexington Police Department, Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, and the Fayette County Coroner. This story was reported from Los Angeles.