A tense Tuesday night turned deadly on Blackburn Avenue after a shotgun-toting suspect holed up in a local church, triggering a dramatic standoff that ended in gunfire and one fatality.
It all started when Ashland Police responded to a burglary and trespassing call. By the time officers arrived at the reported residence, the suspect had already fled—but not far. Cops say the man, armed with a shotgun, was soon spotted at a nearby church. That’s when things went from bad to worse.
As officers rushed to escort a witness to safety, they came face to face with the armed suspect. The Special Response Team was called in, and negotiators worked desperately to talk him down. But the standoff escalated, and by the end of the night, the suspect was dead. No officers were injured in the shootout.
The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team is now taking over the investigation, as is standard for officer-involved shootings in the state. Officials say they’re committed to transparency—but for now, are keeping tight-lipped until they’ve interviewed key witnesses and sorted out the details.
One thing’s for sure: a quiet Ashland evening turned into a scene straight out of a movie — with flashing lights, armed officers, and a final, fatal ending at the house of God.
