Three victims in courthouse parking lot shooting, at least one killed, police say

WTVQ News Desk, Associated Press,

UPDATE 3: ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — One person was fatally shot and two others were injured by a gunman outside a Kentucky courthouse, and police said the suspect had been located and was negotiating with police Monday afternoon.

The victim and the suspect, 46-year-old Christopher Elder, had attended a court hearing in Hardin County Monday morning before the shooting, Elizabethtown Police Chief Jeremy Thompson said at a media briefing. The two had been in a relationship, Thompson said.

The shooting occurred in a parking lot and Elder fled the scene afterward, Thompson said.

Elder’s vehicle was located on a highway by police in western Kentucky and he was pursued and stopped, Thompson said. The chief said police negotiators were speaking with Elder, who was still inside his car at the time of the briefing around noon EST.

Elizabethtown is about 45 miles (72.4 kilometers) south of Louisville.

Thompson said two women and one man were shot. The two other victims were family members of the deceased, who had not been identified. The surviving shooting victims were hospitalized, he said.

Nearby schools were placed on a “soft lockdown,” after the shooting until police were able to determine it was an isolated incident, Thompson said.

 

UPDATE 2: ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A shooting occurred just before 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Hardin County Justice Center, resulting in a fatal incident that is now part of a standoff with law enforcement in western Kentucky.

Police say the suspect, identified as 46-year-old Christopher Elder, was already gone by the time police arrived on the scene. Elder, who has ties to Elizabethtown and Breckinridge County, is currently involved in a standoff with authorities.

The shooting, which is believed to be a domestic-related incident, has left at least one person dead, with two others being taken to the hospital for treatment. The victims include two women and one man.

Officials have confirmed that the incident was isolated to the individuals involved and that all parties were at the courthouse for an Emergency Protective Order (EPO) hearing.

The investigation is ongoing, and more details are expected to be released as the situation develops.

 

UPDATE: According to Elizabethtown Police, at least one victim has died from injuries in the shooting.

We will continue to update as we learn new information.

 

ORIGINAL STORY:

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — The Elizabethtown Police Department has confirmed a shooting that occurred this morning in the parking lot of the courthouse (Hardin County Justice Center). According to authorities, three individuals were injured in the incident, though their current conditions have not been disclosed.

The suspect remains at large, and multiple law enforcement agencies are actively searching for him, according to police. Police believe the suspect may have already left Hardin County.

As a precaution, all area schools have been placed on a soft lockdown. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and will provide updates as the situation develops.

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