FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Flags on Kentucky state buildings will be flown at half-staff in honor of the three officers killed when a man with a rifle opened fire on police trying to serve a warrant, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday.
Flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset Thursday in memory of Floyd County Sheriff’s Deputy and Martin City Fire Chief William Petry, Prestonsburg Police Capt. Ralph Frasure and Prestonsburg Police Officer Jacob Chaffins, Beshear said in a news release.
The three were killed Thursday night in an hours-long standoff at a home in Allen, a small town in the Appalachian hills of eastern Kentucky. A German shepherd police dog named Drago was also killed and several other law enforcement officials were wounded in the shooting, officials said.
Lance Storz, 49, was taken into custody after the shooting, authorities said.
Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt told reporters Friday that four deputies initially responded to the home and then called for backup when they were shot. The sheriff said Storz surrendered after negotiations involving his family members. Hunt told local media that deputies were serving a court-issued warrant Thursday night regarding a domestic violence situation.
Storz was arraigned Friday. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of murdering a police officer and was jailed on $10 million bail. One of the charges was initially attempted murder of a police officer, but a judge told the hearing it was upgraded to murder after Chaffins’ death.
Hunt told news outlets Sunday that officers were conducting a welfare check after a relative of Storz’s wife called about possible abuse. Floyd County Judge-Executive Robbie Williams said the officers did not know they were being ambushed and that the shooter had a range of fire of more than 200 yards (180 meters), the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
“There was a single lane road leading to his house and the house was on an elevated position. That created an almost unassailable position,” Williams said.
The officers “acted bravely and did everything in their power to subdue the suspect and try to get him to surrender,” Williams said.
“With the delivery, the reality and the magnitude of what had just happened began to sink in, and our community was going to be changed forever,” Williams said.
Funeral services are set for this week for the slain officers, Beshear said.
