...
By Hollie Silverman
News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The man killed by law enforcement after he gunned down a state trooper and fatally shot two women at a Kentucky church on Sunday has been identified by the local coroner as Guy House, 47.
The Fayette County Coroner's Office had identified House, as well as the two women shot and killed at the Richmond Road Baptist Church, said the Lexington Police Department (LPD) in a press release to Newsweek on Monday
Beverly Gumm, 72, and Christina Combs, 34, were killed at the church after House fled following the shooting of the trooper near Blue Grass Airport, the email said.
Read More
Democratic Governors: What’s the GOP Budget Bill? A Big Betrayal of the Middle Class | Opinion4 min read
Alligator Alcatraz Detainees Revealed in Full List3 min read
Map Shows States Most and Least Prepared for Recession5 min read
House had at least six offenses, according to records reviewed by Newsweek, including robbery, forced entry and speeding.
There were multiple active warrants for House's arrest when the vehicle he was in was pulled over on Sunday, Sergeant Matt Sudduth with the Kentucky State Police (KSP) Public Affairs branch said during a press conference Monday afternoon.
Newsweek has reached out to the LPD**,** KSP, Lexington Community Corrections, as well as courts in Fayette, Madison and Jessamine counties via phone and email Monday for more information.
...
The Context
The incident highlighted ongoing concerns about gun violence in houses of worship and underscored continuing risks to public safety, even in places considered sanctuaries.
Officials have not released a motive.
The shooting has prompted local and state investigations and renewed dialogue about community safety, crisis response and support for victims and affected communities.
Guy House's Record
Records show that House two speeding charges out of Ohio in 2011, with additional criminal charges in Kentucky, although the date for those charges was not immediately available.
House was scheduled to appear for a hearing Monday, July 14, court records show.
WTVQ reports that the appearance was for his involvement in a domestic violence case.
It is unclear what penalties House faced for previous charges, but local television station WKYT showed House in a jail booking photo from 2022.
The CEO of Sayre Christian Village told WKYT that House's mother was a former resident and died there. That is the location where House carjacked a visiting family member in the parking lot.
What We Know
House was killed by law enforcement within two hours of the first violent incident, according to a timeline provided by the LPD.
The deadly series of events began about 11:36 a.m. when a Kentucky State Trooper stopped a vehicle on Terminal Drive after a license plate reader alert.
House shot the trooper, who is "in stable condition, receiving medical treatment," according to a press release.
Officials said the shooting was unrelated to Blue Grass Airport, even though the area is adjacent.
House then carjacked a vehicle and headed to the Richmond Road Baptist Church, about 16 miles from the first shooting site.
LPD said in the release that they tracked House to the church using air support and technology.
Once at the church, House shot four people, killing Gumm and Combs.
Two male parishioners were injured and transported to local hospitals.
Police said in the release that preliminary information suggested House may have had a connection to people at the church but did not provide further details.
Within two hours of the first shooting, House was shot and killed by law enforcement at the church.
Three Lexington police officers discharged their weapons and had their bodycams activated, as per department policy. All officers involved have been placed on administrative assignment pending the outcome of the investigation, LPD said in the release.
"The officers who responded to the church came upon a tragic scene," Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said during the press conference. "They began providing first aid and care to the individuals who had been shot until paramedics arrived. The officers went from securing the scene to assisting the victims in an instant."
Resources are being offered to those directly impacted by the shootings. A community-based support team, One Lexington, has been activated to assist residents and churchgoers with counseling and aid.
Who Are The Victims?
The two women killed in the shooting were mother and daughter, according to a report from the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Star Rutherford, another daughter of Gumm, told the Herald-Leader in an interview Sunday night that she and her mother were cooking lunch in the basement of the church Sunday afternoon when House came in through the back door and asked for one of her sisters.
According to Rutherford, he then said "Well, someone is gonna have to die, then," before opening fire, the Herald-Leader reported.
Gumm allegedly ducked the first shot but was killed when she was shot in the chest, the report said.
Rutherford told the paper she believed House was looking for another sister of hers who is the mother of his three children.
After fatally shooting Gumm, House went outside and fatally shot Combs. He also wounded two men, including the pastor of the church Jerry Gumm and Combs' husband Randy Combs, the Herald-Leader reported.
Weathers said during the press conference that the men who were injured are in critical condition as of Monday afternoon, although he declined to name them for safety purposes.
What People Are Saying
Lawrence Weathers, Lexington police chief, during a press conference Monday afternoon: "On behalf of the Lexington Police Department I would like to extend my condolences to the families of Ms. Gumm and Ms. Combs as well as the other victims and their families."
Kenneth Payne, of One Lexington Community Resources, during the press conference: "We as a city, our hearts, are grieving for the victims that have experienced such a tragedy, and we will do what we call all hearts on deck as a community. What do we do to step up for these victims and be there in the time and the needs that they may have? So as One Lexington, we have already been working diligently to reach out to some of these victims to see how that we can support them with resources, we have several different community partners that are stepping up to help us in these efforts."
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday: "Violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country. Please join Britainy and me as we pray for the families of those lost, each one a child of God gone too soon."
Lexington Police Department, in a press release emailed to Newsweek on Monday: "With the assistance of the department's Air Support Unit and Real-Time Intelligence Center, officers were able to track the vehicle to the Richmond Road Baptist Church in the 5800 of Old Richmond Road. The suspect fired his weapon at individuals on church property. Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to individuals at the church."
What Happens Next
The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team and the Lexington Police Public Integrity Unit are leading the investigation into the incident, including the actions of law enforcement personnel and the suspect's motives.
The department said that any updates or new information would be released through additional media releases.
Update 7/14/25, 11:10 a.m. ET: This story was updated with more information.
Update 7/14/25, 1:36 p.m. ET: This story was updated with more information.
Update 7/14/25, 3:06 p.m. ET: This story was updated with more information.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines