In a tragic turn of events, a district judge in Letcher County, Kentucky, was fatally shot in his chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, has left the local community devastated. Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the shooting, expressing his sorrow over the loss of the district judge in a statement on social media.

Details surrounding the shooting remain scarce as the investigation has just begun. The Letcher County coroner has confirmed the death resulting from the shooting but refrained from providing further information at this time. The Kentucky Court of Justice has acknowledged the tragedy and is actively collaborating with law enforcement agencies, including the Kentucky State Police, to support the ongoing investigation.

Following the shooting, schools in the area were briefly put on lockdown as a precautionary measure. Although a suspect in the Kentucky highway shooting that had recently put parts of the state on alert was believed to have been found dead the day before, the community is once again grappling with the impact of gun violence in the region. The Letcher County Courthouse incident has sparked concerns and raised questions about safety and security measures in public spaces.