In a shocking incident that has left a small rural community in Kentucky shaken, Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines, 43, fatally shot District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, inside the Letcher County Courthouse on Thursday. The tragedy unfolded after an argument escalated between the sheriff and the judge, resulting in Stines turning himself in to authorities shortly after the shooting.
Fatal Shooting Inside Courthouse After Heated Argument-Kentucky judge shot
The incident occurred at approximately 2:55 p.m. in Whitesburg, Kentucky, a small town in the southeastern part of the state. According to Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart, Sheriff Stines entered the courthouse and fatally shot Judge Mullins in his chambers, leaving the community in disbelief. Judge Mullins sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. The exact cause of the argument that led to the shooting is still under investigation.
Sheriff Stines, who was elected to his position in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, was immediately taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. Trooper Gayheart noted that Stines had been cooperative with investigators following the arrest.
Community Stunned by the Tragic Incident
The shooting has deeply rattled the close-knit community of Letcher County, home to about 21,500 residents. Trooper Gayheart expressed the collective shock felt by locals, stating, “This community is small in nature, and we’re all shook.” The tragic event also sparked concerns about an active shooter in the area, prompting nearby schools to go on lockdown as a precaution. Authorities later assured the public that the shooting was an isolated incident, with no further threat posed to the community.
Judge Kevin Mullins was a respected figure in Letcher County, having first been elected in 2010. He had recently been appointed to a state judicial commission focused on mental health, underscoring his dedication to public service.
Authorities React and Begin Investigation
The fatal shooting has garnered attention from state officials, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who expressed his sorrow and called for an end to the rising violence. “There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow,” Governor Beshear wrote on social media.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced that his office would work alongside local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and prosecution. Witnesses who were present in the courthouse at the time of the shooting are currently being interviewed as investigators seek to uncover what led to the deadly altercation between the sheriff and the judge.
This tragedy has sent shockwaves through Letcher County, a tight-knit community that is now grappling with the loss of a respected judicial figure and the devastating actions of an elected official.