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Shooting at Kentucky State University kills 1; suspect in custody, officials say

One person was killed and another was critically wounded in a shooting at Kentucky State University, the city of Frankfort said Tuesday. 

The suspect was arrested and later identified as Jacob Lee Bard of Evansville, Indiana, according to city officials. Both victims are Kentucky State University students, but the suspect is not. The shooting occurred outside the Young Hall student dormitory on the southside of school's campus, authorities said.

Bard was taken into custody by university police immediately at the scene of the shooting, the spokesperson said. He has been booked into Franklin County Regional on charges of murder and assault first degree, according to the city.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Frankfort Assistant Chief of Police Scott Tracy described the shooting as an isolated incident.

"This was not a mass shooting or a random incident," the governor said in a video statement.

Kentucky Campus Shooting
Law enforcement responds to a shooting at Whitney Moore Young Jr. Hall on Kentucky State University's campus in Frankfort on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. Hannah Brown/The State Journal via AP

The wounded person was taken to a local hospital in critical but stable condition, Tracy said.

"We will share more information as available. Law enforcement are on scene, and a suspect has been arrested. Let's pray for all those affected," Beshear said earlier on social media.

The Frankfort Police Department said it responded to an "active aggressor" on KSU's campus in Frankfort around 3:35 p.m., adding that the campus is on lockdown until further notice.

"As a parent, I cannot imagine receiving the call I placed today to the parents," KSU President Dr. Koffi C. Akakpo said at a news conference. "Our students need prayers. Kentucky State University needs prayers."

This was the second shooting at KSU this year. In August, two students were shot near Young Hall when a passenger vehicle opened fire on a group of people walking on campus, police said. One victim was treated for minor injuries and the second for serious injuries. Police said at the time that no further information would be released but that an investigation was ongoing.

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