March 18th, 2024 – Wayne County, Kentucky

Published March 18th, 2024

A deputy with the Wayne County, Kentucky, Sheriff's Office was shot Monday afternoon. At approximately 3:30 p.m. Monday, deputies from the Wayne County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence to serve a court order related to a domestic violence protective order. Upon contacting the male resident of the home, he opened fire on the deputies, striking one of them in the chest. This led to a six-hour long standoff situation. At approximately 9:30 p.m., a tactical team from the Kentucky State Police entered the residence and found the male resident deceased inside the home.

The injured deputy, who was wearing a ballistic-resistant vest at the time of incident, was airlifted to the University of Tennessee Hospital for further treatment but is expected to make a full recovery. Police released a statement, saying “the vest saved his [the deputy’s] life; if it had hit even just an inch away from where it did, in either direction, this could have been a very different situation.” The investigation into the deputy’s shooting and the resident’s cause of death is ongoing.