Crime
Active Shooter Incident Reported at Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg
Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines arrested after allegedly shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins in his office
Whitesburg, Kentucky – Whitesburg, Kentucky – Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines has been arrested in connection with a shooting incident at the Letcher County Courthouse.
Stines is accused of shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins in his office, located off the Letcher District Courtroom. The shooting occurred on, prompting an active shooter situation.
Residents in the Whitesburg area were advised to shelter in place and go under lockdown immediately. Individuals in the downtown area were urged to lock their doors and remain safe. Both the Mountain Eagle and Appalshop confirmed reports of the shooting.
Nearby Letcher County Schools were placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure. While students were assured that they were not in danger, the lockdown remained in place until authorities deemed it safe to release them.
One person has been arrested in connection with the shooting. However, police have not yet authorized the release of students from the schools.
Initial reports indicated that the shooting took place in the District Courtroom. Court employees were visibly shaken and gathered on the sidewalk outside the courthouse.
Law enforcement officers responded to the incident promptly. A reporter is en route to Whitesburg to gather more information and provide updates as they become available.
Crime
Victims killed in dispute over dice game at Pontiac apartment identified, suspect in custody
The suspect attempted to muffle the gunshots using a potato as a silencer before fleeing the scene.
Oakland County authorities have arrested a 32-year-old Detroit man in connection with a double homicide that occurred on Tuesday, October 8th.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, is accused of murdering two individuals in a dispute over a dice game.
The killings took place around 8:20 AM in an apartment located in the 100 block of North Sanford Street, near Fiddis Avenue.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect became enraged after losing $80 in the dice game and opened fire on 20-year-old Sidney Ward III of Highland Park and 24-year-old Tyrone Davis Glenn Jr. of Pontiac.
A 911 caller reported hearing gunshots, and deputies arrived at the scene to find both victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Ward was pronounced dead at the scene, while Glenn was transported to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators discovered evidence at the crime scene suggesting that the suspect had attempted to disguise the sound of the gunshots by using a potato as a makeshift silencer.
This effort proved ineffective.
Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene and called for an Uber ride.
However, before the rideshare vehicle arrived, he abandoned the plan and fled on foot in the area of South Boulevard and Woodward Avenue.
After conducting surveillance at various locations, detectives spotted the suspect walking along 8 Mile Road, carrying grocery bags and a case of beer.
He was arrested at approximately 8:20 PM on Tuesday evening by members of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team and the Gun Violence Task Force.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard praised the efforts of his team and their partners in apprehending the suspect within 12 hours of the killings.
He expressed shock and disgust at the suspect’s actions and vowed to hold him accountable for his crimes.
During their investigation, detectives recovered two semi-automatic handguns from the suspect.
The suspect is currently being held at the Oakland County Jail and is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday or Thursday.