Tragedy struck Kentucky State University on Tuesday afternoon when a shooting at Whitney M. Young Jr. Hall left one student dead and another critically injured, sending shockwaves through the campus community. The incident occurred around 3:10 p.m., prompting an immediate response from campus and city police. Authorities arrived on the scene within minutes and confirmed that two students had been shot. One later succumbed to their injuries, while the other remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Jacob Lee Bard from Evansville, Indiana, who is not a KSU student, was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with murder and first-degree assault. Police have described the shooting as an isolated incident, assuring the public and the campus community that there is no ongoing threat. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear also confirmed that this was not a mass shooting and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
KSU President Koffi C. Akakpo called the event “a senseless tragedy” and expressed deep sympathy for the students, families, and staff affected. In response to the shooting, the university placed the campus on lockdown, suspended classes and final exams, and allowed students to return home if they wished. Counseling and support services have been made available to those impacted by the incident.
Authorities, including the Frankfort Police Department and campus security, remain on site while investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting. This tragedy has raised renewed concerns about campus safety and gun violence, particularly at historically Black colleges and universities, with students and parents calling for stronger protective measures and clearer safety protocols.
This marks the second violent incident near the same residence hall this year; in August, shots were fired from a vehicle near the hall, though no students were injured in that case. Officials continue to urge caution and have asked anyone with information related to the shooting to come forward.
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