Beech Tree News Network

A shooting at the courthouse in Elizabeth and a subsequent police pursuit prompted a response from Butler County School officials.  The incident took place on Monday, August 19, when a man fatally shot a mother and daughter and injured another man following a court hearing.  The suspect fled from the scene resulting in a police pursuit.  

Consequently, local school officials were monitoring the situation in case the pursuit crossed over into Butler County.  

The Butler County School District released the following statement on Monday afternoon via ParentSquare:   

"This morning through collaboration with neighboring school districts, law enforcement, and local dispatch, Butler County Schools stayed informed about the threatening situation (police pursuit) heading west out of Elizabethtown.  Throughout the chase we monitored the location of the event until the individual was detained. If at any point the individual being chased would have crossed Butler County lines toward our campuses we were prepared to lockdown our schools to ensure safety.  Increased security measures at our schools were being actively put into place as the threat was nearing. Fortunately, at each access point to our county the individual chose a different direction and was later captured near Christian County.  We wanted to send this out to notify all parents that we were monitoring the situation, and will always be vigilant in protecting against any perceived threats."

The statement was released by Josh Belcher, assistant superintendent, and Ryan Emmick, safe schools director.  

According to Elizabethtown Police Chief Jeremy Thompson, schools in the Elizabethtown area were placed on "soft lockdown" following the shooting.  

The suspected gunman was eventually stopped in western Kentucky, where he ultimately shot himself.  He was listed in critical condition as of late Monday evening.