Two churchgoers have been killed and a state trooper seriously wounded in two shootouts during a gunman\u2019s rampage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A morning of terror began when the shooter opened fire outside Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, about 10.40am on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trooper was shot when he pulled over the gunman on Terminal Drive after the car was pinged by a license plate reader on a nearby traffic camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The shooter then carjacked another vehicle and fled 16 miles to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he was cornered by pursuing cops, police said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said the gunman, who may have a connection to the congregation, fired on worshippers inside the Baptist church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beverly Gumm, 72, and Christina Combs, 32, were shot dead as they tried to escape, and two men were wounded and rushed to the hospital, one in critical condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Three Lexington Police Department officers opened fire on the gunman and killed him, Chief Weathers said. He has been identified but his family is yet to be notified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The wounded deputy was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries but is in a stable condition, the Lexington Fire Department said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We were the first to the scene after the shooting, barely escaping a head-on crash from the shooter while he drove out of the airport the wrong way,\u2019 airport shooting witness Gena Roland said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018The trooper was thankfully awake and coherent when the ambulance arrived, albeit in a lot of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018It was intense. There were many good Samaritans that stopped and ran to the trooper. I think we had five of us down there before the cops and paramedics arrived on scene.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other locals wrote online that they saw dozens of police and other emergency vehicles rushing to the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced the deaths of the two churchgoers shortly before a 4.30pm press conference identified them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Please pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence, and let\u2019s give thanks for the swift response by the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton also offered her prayers for the victims\u2019 families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Like so many communities across the country, today our community has experienced a mass shooting, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. A state police trooper has also been injured,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Our police have a strong partnership with state police. The agencies will work together to fully investigate this tragedy.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of the airport drive was shut down as local police investigated, but flights and airport operations soon returned to normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A blue Nissan, believed to be the shooter\u2019s car, was taped off by police as part of the investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Three other people were wounded in a third shooting at 3.49am on Sunday on the other side of town to the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A woman suffered life-threatening injuries when she was hit Winchester Road, near the intersection with Liberty Road. Two men were wounded and drove themselves to hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether the earlier shooting had any connection to the airport and church rampage is unknown.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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