KSP: Judge shot and killed inside Letcher County courthouse

LETCHER COUNTY, Ky. (WJHL) — A justice was changeable and killed successful the Letcher County Courthouse connected Thursday, according to Kentucky State Police (KSP).

KSP Trooper Matt Gayheart spoke with members of the media extracurricular of the courthouse astir 6:30 p.m.

"At this time, we tin corroborate that the territory justice was changeable and unluckily has passed away," Gayheart said.

Gayheart confirmed that an apprehension was made and described the shooting arsenic an isolated incidental that did not airs a menace to the public.

The justice was identified arsenic District Judge Kevin Mullins by Kentucky State Auditor of Public Accounts Allison Ball. Mullins is besides listed arsenic the territory justice connected the Letcher County authorities website.

"It did instrumentality spot wrong the courthouse," Gayheart said. An nonstop clip of the shooting has not been determined. No different injuries were reported, but Gayheart said determination were aggregate witnesses to the shooting.

Gayheart besides told News Channel 11 that owed to the aboriginal quality of the investigation, a motive is not yet clear.

The shooting sent shockwaves done the Letcher County community.

"Any clip a concern similar this takes place, particularly successful a tiny town, it shakes the precise instauration of what the municipality is and this is nary different," Gayheart said. "We're conscionable hoping that it's a atrocious concern and we tin resoluteness it arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable and commencement that process forward."

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear issued a connection connected the shooting implicit societal media saying successful portion that determination is "far excessively overmuch unit successful this world, and I commune determination is simply a way to a amended tomorrow."

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman also issued a connection connected X, saying that his bureau volition enactment with Commonwealth Attorney for the 27th Judicial Circuit Jackie Steele arsenic peculiar prosecutors successful the case.

Letcher County Public Schools posted to societal media shortly earlier 3:30 p.m. stating Letcher County Central High School went into a mandatory lockdown owed to an progressive shooting successful the downtown area.

The schoolhouse strategy stated that KSP ordered the lockdown.

"Your children are safe," the school's societal media station reads. "The shooter has been apprehended, but KSP has not released america to travel retired of lockdown. Your children were ne'er successful a concerning situation."

The Kentucky Court of Justice provided its ain connection connected societal media, stating it was successful interaction with KSP and different authorities and is "offering our afloat enactment during this hard time."

This is simply a processing story. News Channel 11 has a unit successful Whitesburg and has reached retired to authorities for much information.