At least one student was killed and another was critically injured on Tuesday in a shooting inside a residence hall at Kentucky State University. Officials said the suspect, who is not enrolled at the university, has been taken into custody.
The shooting occurred at about 3 pm. Scott Tracy, assistant chief of police for Frankfort, said at an evening news conference that officers responded immediately. He stated that police believe the incident was isolated and that there is no active threat on campus.
Footage from WLKY TV in Louisville showed several police vehicles positioned near a group of dormitories, with crime scene tape across a courtyard at the university in Frankfort, the state capital.
One student at Whitney M Young Jr Hall remains in critical but stable condition, the university said. Names of those involved are not being released at present. The university added that it is in close contact with the families and is offering all available support, including counselling services.
Governor Andy Beshear said in a video message on X that the incident appears to be isolated and that no continuing danger exists. He said violence has no place in the state or the country and asked people to pray for the affected families and the university community.
Classes, final examinations and campus activities have been cancelled for the remainder of the week. The autumn term had been scheduled to conclude on Friday. Students may go home if they wish, and further guidance will be issued shortly.
University President Koffi C Akakpo described the shooting as a senseless tragedy and said the campus is mourning the loss of a student. He noted that as a parent he could not imagine delivering the call he made earlier to the family.
This is the second shooting near the same residence hall in four months. On August 17, shots were fired from a vehicle near the building, injuring two people who were not students. Police said one person suffered minor injuries and the other sustained serious injuries. The building and at least one vehicle were hit by gunfire.
Kentucky State is a public historically Black university with about 2,200 students. It was authorised by lawmakers in 1886 and is located about 3.2 kilometers east of the Capitol building.
