Kentucky State University was rocked by a campus shooting that left one student dead and another critically wounded; a suspect was quickly taken into custody and authorities say there is no ongoing threat to the community.
One student died and another remained in critical condition after a shooting on the Kentucky State University campus yesterday afternoon, according to law enforcement updates. Frankfort police and campus officers responded, and officials reported a suspect was in custody shortly after the incident was reported. The rapid arrest helped officials reassure the campus and local families that the situation was contained.
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A shooter at Kentucky State University gunned down one student and left another in critical condition before the suspect was quickly nabbed by cops responding to calls of an “active aggressor” Tuesday afternoon.
The Frankfort Police Department said it was on campus by 3:35 p.m., just four minutes after receiving reports of the shooting. By the time they arrived, KSU police had already arrested the suspect, the department’s assistant chief of police Scott Tracy said at a press conference Tuesday evening.
In an update shared at 4:35 p.m., the department confirmed that one of the injured victims died while the other was hospitalized “in stable but critical condition,” according to a Facebook post.
The two victims were both KSU students, Tracy said.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described the attack as “not a random incident” and said it did not meet the criteria for a mass shooting. His comments aimed to clarify the scale and nature of the violence while authorities continued to investigate motive and circumstances. Officials stressed that, based on initial reports, the danger had passed once the suspect was detained.
“Today, there was a shooting on the campus of Kentucky State University,” Beshear said. “Two individuals were critically injured and, sadly, at least one of them, I don’t think, is going to make it. This was not a mass shooting or a random incident, based on what I’ve been told, and the shooter is already in custody. That means that while this was scary, there is no ongoing threat and I believe our families are safe.”
Beshear added a humanitarian appeal as the community processed the loss and fear. He urged people to offer prayers and support for the victims and their families while law enforcement pieced together the events. Officials warned that while immediate risk had been removed, many questions remained about what led to the violence.
“But please pray. Pray for those that have been injured, please pray for these Kentucky State University students that, again, might be rightfully scared. Pray for a world where these things don’t happen, and I’ll keep trying to build a Kentucky that we don’t see arguments ended in violence.”
Authorities arrested 48-year-old Jacob Led Bard in connection with the shooting, and prosecutors have filed serious charges. The suspect was booked on allegations that include murder and first-degree assault, according to local booking information. Officials say Bard was identified as coming from Evansville, Indiana, and was held in the Franklin County Regional Jail.
The office of Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson confirmed the suspect’s identity and the charges being lodged against him, noting the case would move through the county system. Kentucky State University President Koffi C. Akakpo called the event a “senseless tragedy” and offered a personal reaction to the calls to families. “As a parent I cannot imagine receiving the call I placed today to the parents.”
The university announced that, because the incident occurred during finals week, all exams, classes, and campus activities were suspended for the remainder of the week. Campus leaders said counseling and support services would be available for students and staff and that additional security measures would remain in place while investigators worked. State and local investigators continue to collect evidence and interview witnesses to determine motive and sequence of events.
