Three Kentucky police officers and a police dog were killed and at least four other officers were wounded in a shootout at the home of what cops called a “terrorist on a mission.”
Lance Stortz, 49, was taken into custody after a nearly five-hour standoff with officers who showed up at his door in rural Prestonburg with a warrant for his arrest in a domestic violence incident, according to reports.
Stortz, who was armed with a rifle, opened fire and struck two officers in the incident Thursday night, Kentucky State Police said.
Prestonburg Police Capt. Ralph Fraser and Deputy William Petrie were killed, along with K9 Nelson and handler Jacob Chaffins, authorities said.
The situation quickly escalated as Storz barricaded himself inside the home with his wife and daughter and continued to fire at responding officers, cops said.
Deputy William Petrie was among the officers killed.odmp.org
Deputies called for backup and several agencies responded, including state police, officers from neighboring counties and a SWAT team.
“They encountered…pure hell when they arrived. They didn’t stand a chance,” Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt told reporters. Deputies had not even made contact with the suspected shooter when the shooting began, he noted.
The shooter apparently had a plan and “pretty much executed that plan almost to precision,” Hunt said, adding that it took several hours to figure out where the shooter was shooting from.
Captain Ralph Fraser was also killed. K9 handler Jacob Chaffins was also a victim.odmp.org
“(The suspect) was a pure terrorist … he was just a terrorist on a mission,” the sheriff said.
Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Bartley said Friday morning, “These are human beings. These are people with children, husbands, mothers and fathers, their world will never be the same.”
The standoff ended with the suspect being taken into police custody, WMDJ reported. His wife and daughter were unharmed.
Drago, an officer of the K9 unit, died in the accident. Facebook
One deputy who took cover under a running patrol car ended up with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Multiple officers from various agencies were shot and taken to local hospitals. A total of four to six police officers were shot dead, according to local reports.
Storz, who is in the Pike County Jail, is due in court on July 11.
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