Police in Kentucky arrested Lance Storz late Thursday night after multiple officer-involved shootings. Photo by Handout /Pike County Detention Center
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ALLEN, Ky. — Three police officers were killed and five wounded in eastern Kentucky when a man with a rifle opened fire on police who were trying to serve a warrant, authorities said.
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Police arrested 49-year-old Lance Storz late Thursday night after an hours-long standoff at a home in Allen, a small town in the Appalachian hills. An emergency management worker was also injured and a police dog was killed, according to the arrest report. Responding officers encountered “pure hell” when they arrived at the scene, Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt told reporters Friday afternoon.
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“They had no chance,” he said. Hunt said four deputies initially responded 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.
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Hunt said one of his deputies, William Petrie, and Prestonsburg Police Capt. Ralph Fresure were killed in the shooting. Frasure worked 39 years in law enforcement in Floyd County. Another Prestonsburg officer, Jacob Chaffins, died after being treated at the hospital, the police department said in a social media post Friday night. Storz was arraigned Friday morning by a Pike County judge. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of murdering a police officer and was jailed on $10 million bail. One of the charges was originally attempted murder of a police officer, but a judge told the hearing it was upgraded to murder. He also faces another count of attempted homicide and assault on a service animal.
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We apologize, but this video failed to load. Few details were available Friday. State police had said in a brief statement that they were investigating an officer-involved shooting. “This is a difficult morning for our commonwealth,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post Friday morning. “Floyd County and our brave first responders suffered a tragic loss last night. I want to ask all of Kentucky to pray with me for this community.” Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron posted on social media that he was devastated by the news of the officers’ deaths. “Our law enforcement showed unimaginable heroism and sacrifice last night in the face of evil,” he said.
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