Cop is shot at Kentucky’s Blue Grass Airport before gunman is killed inside a packed church
professorkamrankhan@gmail.com 
A state trooper has been seriously wounded in a shootout at a major airport before the gunman fled into a church during Sunday service.
Panicked passengers ran for their lives as shots were fired at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, about 11.40am.
After he gunned down the trooper, the shooter fled to nearby Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he was cornered by pursuing cops, Kentucky State Police said.
The shooter was shot dead at the church and multiple parishioners were injured. It’s not clear if they were shot or hurt in their rush to escape.
The wounded deputy was taken to hospital with serious injuries but is in a stable condition, the Lexington Fire Department said.
‘We were the first to the scene after the shooting, barely escaping a head-on crash from the shooter while he drove out of the airport the wrong way,’ witness Gena Roland said.
‘The trooper was thankfully awake and coherent when the ambulance arrived, albeit in a lot of pain.
‘It was intense. There were many good samaritans that stopped and ran to the trooper. I think we had five of us down there before the cops and paramedics arrived on scene.’
Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, was thrown into chaos and one man seriously wounded in the shooting about 11.40am on Sunday
The shooter fled to nearby Richmond Road Baptist Church (pictured), where he was cornered by pursuing cops and shot dead. Multiple churchgoers were also injured
Other locals wrote online that they saw dozens of police and other emergency vehicles rushing to the airport.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said his office was aware of the shooting.
‘Please pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence, and let’s give thanks for the swift response by the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police,’ he said.
Part of the airport drive is shut down as local police investigate, but flights and airport operations have since returned to normal.
The circumstances of the airport shooting are unclear, as is whether it was inside the terminal or in one of the car parks.
