USA : District Judge Fatally Shot in Kentucky Courtroom by Local Sheriff

Washington – In a shocking turn of events, violence has reached the hallowed halls of law in the U.S., as a district judge in Eastern Kentucky was fatally shot by a local sheriff inside a courtroom. The murder of Judge Kevin Mullins on Thursday has left the community in shock and fear. The accused, Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines, later surrendered to authorities.

According to a report from The New York Times, Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart provided details of the incident during an evening press conference. Sheriff Stines, 43, allegedly shot and killed District Judge Mullins, 54, inside the Letcher County courtroom in Whitesburg, Kentucky, at approximately 2:55 p.m. Stines turned himself in shortly after the shooting and was taken into custody at a local jail.

Trooper Gayheart confirmed that Judge Mullins was struck by multiple bullets and was declared dead at the scene. Authorities are now interviewing witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events. In response to the tragedy, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear took to social media, stating, "There is too much violence in this world. I pray for a way forward to a better tomorrow."

As news of the killing spread, local schools were placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure. 

The New York Times further reported that the incident has deeply unsettled residents of Letcher County, a small community of approximately 21,500 people located 110 miles southeast of Lexington. Judge Mullins, who was first elected by county residents in 2010, had recently been appointed to a state judicial commission dealing with mental health issues. Sheriff Stines, first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, has been named as a defendant in two federal cases.

The investigation into the tragic event is ongoing as the local community grapples with the shock of this senseless act of violence.