Kentucky sheriff held over fatal shooting of judge in court

A Kentucky sheriff has been arrested aft fatally shooting a justice successful his chambers, constabulary say.

District Judge Kevin Mullins died astatine the country aft being changeable aggregate times successful the Letcher County Courthouse, Kentucky State Police said.

Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Stines, 43, has been charged with 1 number of first-degree murder.

The shooting happened connected Thursday aft an statement wrong the court, constabulary said, but they person not yet revealed a motive.

Officials said Mullins, 54, was changeable aggregate times astatine astir 14:00 section clip connected Thursday astatine the tribunal successful Whitesburg, Kentucky, a tiny agrarian municipality astir 150 miles (240km) south-east of Lexington.

Sheriff Stines was arrested astatine the country without incident, Kentucky State Police said. They did not uncover the quality of the statement earlier the shooting.

According to local paper the Mountain Eagle, Sheriff Stines walked into the judge's outer bureau and told tribunal employees that helium needed to talk unsocial with Mullins.

The 2 entered the judge's chambers, closing the doorway down them. Those extracurricular heard weapon shots, the paper reported.

Sheriff Stines reportedly walked retired with his hands up and surrendered to police. He was handcuffed successful the courthouse foyer.

The authorities lawyer general, Russell Coleman, said successful a station connected X, formerly Twitter, that his bureau “will afloat analyse and prosecute justice”.

Kentucky State Police spokesperson Matt Gayheart told a quality league that the municipality was shocked by the incidental

“This assemblage is tiny successful nature, and we’re each shook,” helium said.

Mr Gayheart said that 50 employees were wrong the tribunal gathering erstwhile the shooting occurred.

No-one other was hurt. A schoolhouse successful the country was concisely placed connected lockdown.

Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Laurance B VanMeter said helium was "shocked by this enactment of violence".

Announcing Judge Mullins’ decease connected societal media, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said: “There is acold excessively overmuch unit successful this world, and I commune determination is simply a way to a amended tomorrow.”