Two Kentucky police officers were killed and five more officers were wounded during a standoff with a barricaded suspect in Floyd County on Thursday night. The suspect is also charged with the murder of a third individual and a police dog.
According to an arrest citation obtained by WSAZ, a suspect identified as 49-year-old Lance Storz, of Allen, Ky., was arrested at around 10 p.m. on Thursday night. WSAZ reported the arrest citation says Storz “used a rifle to fire multiple rounds at police officers around his home” on Main Street in Allen.
According to the Pike County Detention Center website, Storz is charged with two counts of murder of a police officer, another count of murder, five counts of attempted murder of a police officer and first-degree assault on a service animal. The Kentucky law states a first-degree assault on a service animal can mean killing or seriously physically injuring a service animal.
WSAZ reported one of the victims as an emergency management director, though it’s not yet clear if that individual was the third murder victim. The identities of the two slain police officers are not yet known.
Lex 18 reported Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt said the standoff began after his deputies responded to a domestic violence call at around 2 p.m. on Thursday. Hunt said the deputies immediately came under fire as they arrived. SWAT teams and Kentucky State Police were called to the scene of the standoff.
The New York Daily News reported the suspect’s wife and daughter were inside the residence as officers arrived but were unharmed in the hours-long standoff.
Storz was appointed a public defender and entered a not-guilty plea during an arraignment on Friday morning. A judge scheduled him for a preliminary hearing on June 11 and he’s being held at the Pike County Detention Center with a $10 million cash bond.
On Friday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear tweeted, Floyd County and our brave first responders suffered a tragic loss last night. I want to ask all of Kentucky to join me in praying for this community. This is a tough morning for our commonwealth.”
On Friday, Kentucky Senator and Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell tweeted, “My thoughts are with Kentucky’s law enforcement officers and their families after last night’s horrible shooting in Floyd County. We are all mourning the loss of heroic officers and praying for the speedy recovery of all injured.”
