Lance Storz, 49, was arraigned in Floyd County courtroom Friday morning when the costs in opposition to him had been defined. A choose set his bond at $10 million money.
It’s unclear whether or not Storz, who appeared through video with a number of bruises and lacerations on his face, has an legal professional. The choose stated he would appoint a public defender to characterize him in future hearings.
Deputies on Thursday night had been serving a warrant associated to a home violence incident within the metropolis of Allen when Storz opened hearth with a high-powered rifle, Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt informed reporters following the listening to.
“They encountered … pure hell after they arrived. They’d no probability,” the sheriff stated, including later the deputies had not even made contact with the suspected shooter when the gunfire started.
The shooter appeared to have had a plan and “just about executed that plan nearly to precision,” Hunt stated. The sheriff stated it took a number of hours to determine the place the gunman was firing from. He additionally had “loads” of ammunition and a physique armor vest, Floyd County officers stated throughout a Sunday information convention.
“(The suspect) was a sheer terrorist … he was only a terrorist on a mission,” the sheriff stated.
The Sheriff’s Workplace recognized the officers killed as Floyd County Deputy William Petry and Prestonsburg Police Capt. Ralph Frasure. On Friday, the Prestonsburg Police Division stated officer and canine handler Jacob R. Chaffins was additionally killed.
The incident started when the sheriff’s workplace obtained a cellphone name from a girl who claimed to be a relative of the suspect, Hunt stated.
“A feminine at the moment acknowledged by means of a textual content message some allegations of her being held in opposition to her will and he or she wanted assist,” Hunt stated. The lady informed officers she had allegedly been raped by Storz and held in opposition to her will for “quite a few days.”
A number of deputies went to do a welfare test on the girl’s residence and serve Storz with an emergency safety order and arrest him.
Lots of the deputies who confirmed as much as the residence had been shot both as quickly as they acquired out of their patrol automobiles or by means of their window, Hunt stated.
One official described the incident as a “tactical ambush” and stated officers didn’t know what they had been strolling into.
Floyd County Lawyer Keith Bartley, who was current through the hours-long capturing, was visibly shaken and emotional as he detailed how the occasions unfolded, saying he discovered himself in a “battle zone.”
“You may have devoted your quick time on this earth to the service of the residents of Prestonsburg and the Commonwealth as an EMT, Hearth Fighter, and Police Officer. You additional devoted your self to the safety of our nation as a valiant soldier,” the division wrote.
A preliminary investigation performed by the Kentucky State Police has additionally decided a police canine hit by stray bullets has died because of these accidents.
The fourth officer was handled and launched. State police stated the civilian continues to be hospitalized.
An EMS director and one other particular person had every misplaced an eye fixed on account of their accidents and had shrapnel wounds, whereas one other deputy had a leg damage that may require additional surgical procedures, officers stated.
Bartley stated Friday morning: “These are human beings. These are individuals with kids, spouses, mothers and dads, their world won’t ever be the identical.”
The sheriff stated one deputy who took cowl underneath a working patrol car ended up with carbon monoxide poisoning.
“Different officers had been injured in different methods, of attempting to both get in some form of place or get out of the place.” stated Hunt.
Deputies had been finally in a position to negotiate with Storz, with help from his household, after practically six hours of energetic capturing, officers stated.
Bartley stated “considerably extra” fees are fotrthcoming. The preliminary “fees had been completed in the course of a battle zone principally.”
Storz, who’s in jail in Pike County, is subsequent due in courtroom for a preliminary listening to July 11 at 1:30 p.m.
Officers stated Storz used a number of firearms within the assault on regulation enforcement.
“Floyd County and our courageous first responders suffered a tragic loss final evening. I need to ask all of Kentucky to affix me in praying for this group. This can be a powerful morning for our commonwealth,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear stated in a Twitter put up Friday.
CNN’s Andi Babineau, Michelle Watson and Sharif Paget contributed to this report.
