Candlelight vigil to be held on 1 year anniversary of deadly Floyd Co. shooting that claimed lives of 3 officers, K-9
PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (WTVQ) — A candlelight vigil will be held Friday night to honor the lives of three Floyd County officers and a K-9 who were shot and killed one year ago.
Officer Jacob Chaffins, Capt. Ralph Frasure, Dep. William Petry and K-9 Drago were killed in an ambush while serving several warrants and a protective order on Lance Storz.
As two Floyd County deputies arrived at the man’s home on Main Street in Allen, near Railroad Avenue, to serve the warrants, Storz allegedly opened fire. He fired hundreds of rounds from prepositioned guns throughout the home.
Petry, Frasure and Drago died that night. Chaffins died the next day.
Storz was arrested several hours later.
He had nearly 30 charges from this incident, including three counts of murder of a police officer, six counts of attempted murder of an officer, seven counts of wanton endangerment, three counts of assault and one count of assaulting a service animal, among others.
He died by suicide in jail before the case was completed by the court system.
The vigil will honor Chaffins, Frasure, Petry and Drago, who all paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Officer Jacob Chaffins
Chaffins was a Kentucky National Guard veteran and served with the Prestonsburg Police Department for three years before he died.
He’s survived by his wife, daughter, mother, two brothers and three sisters.
He was 28.
“The lives you’ve saved since you even started policing are innumerable, and that’s how you gave your life – saving another. We will shine your light to Paisley and the world so long as we breathe.
Rest yourself, we have the watch,” the Presonsburg Police Department wrote on Facebook on July 1, 2022.
Capt. Ralph Frasure
Frasure served with the Prestonsburg Police Department for 39 years before he died.
He’s survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter, four grandchildren and his mother.
He was 60.
“For thirty-nine years you served with honor and glory up until the last second when you did not go down without a fight. We love you. Your work here is done. There will never be another,” the Presonsburg Police Department wrote on Facebook on July 1, 2022.
Dep. William Petry
Petry served with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office for two years before he died. He had previously retired after having served for 14 years with the Prestonsburg Police Department and 15 years with Kentucky State Police.
He’s survived by his wife, son, daughter, two grandchildren and sister.
He was 60.
“We have lost a true leader, an excellent officer, a wonderful person and our beloved friend. The FCSO will never be the same. Our hearts are broken,” the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department wrote on Facebook on July 2, 2022.
K-9 Drago
Drago served with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office for four and a half years before he died.
He was 5.
“‘Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said ‘I am here, send me,'” the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department wrote on Facebook on July 2, 2022.
The vigil starts at 8:30 p.m. in the municipal lot in downtown Prestonsburg.
