Gunman Kills Two, Injures Three in Kentucky Church Shooting After Airport Attack

Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, July 13, 2025.

A gunman opened fire at a rural Kentucky church Sunday, killing two women and injuring three others — including a state trooper — after beginning a violent rampage at Blue Grass Airport and later declaring at the church, “Someone’s gonna have to die.”

The suspect, identified as Guy House, launched the deadly spree around 11:30 a.m. when a Kentucky State Police trooper pulled his vehicle over at the airport following a license plate reader alert. During what initially appeared to be a routine stop, House shot the trooper and fled the scene, leaving the officer in critical condition.

Victims Beverly Gumm and Christina Combs

Eyewitness Larissa McLaughlin, who was at the airport with her husband, described hearing “pop, pop” sounds before realizing they were gunshots. She raced into the terminal, alerting bystanders and helping Good Samaritans reach the wounded officer to administer aid.

After fleeing the airport, House carjacked a vehicle and drove approximately 15 miles to Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington. Inside the church, 72-year-old Beverly Gumm and her daughter, Star Rutherford, were preparing lunch in the basement when House burst in demanding to see one of Rutherford’s sisters — the mother of his three children.

Gumm was a 72-year-old mother of eight and was a “faithful member of the church who loved God.”

When told she wasn’t there, House chillingly responded, “Well, someone’s gonna have to die then,” before opening fire. Gumm was fatally shot in the chest after trying to dodge the first bullet. House then exited the church and fatally shot Rutherford’s sister, 34-year-old Christina Combs, in the parking lot.

He continued his rampage by shooting Jerry Gumm, Beverly’s husband and longtime pastor of the church, and Randy Combs, Christina’s husband, both of whom were critically injured. Responding officers arrived at the scene and engaged House in a shootout, killing him.

Christina Combs and her husband Randy, who was also injured in the shooting.

Rutherford later confirmed on social media that Randy Combs was awake and recovering, while her father, Jerry Gumm, remained sedated following surgery. She described her mother as a devoted woman of faith whose “love language” was feeding the less fortunate.

The third sister, Rachael Barnes, said Christina Combs was a mother of five, including a 6-month-old baby, and was scheduled to graduate from nursing school in December.

The trooper shot at the airport was transported to a hospital and listed in stable condition Sunday night. Authorities have not yet identified a motive for the shootings.

The suspect carjacked a vehicle before driving about 15 miles to the Richmond Road Church, where he continued his killing spree before being taken down by responding officers.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear urged residents to pray for the victims and their families, while commending the swift response from law enforcement.

“Please pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence, and let’s give thanks for the swift response by the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police,” Beshear wrote on social media.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton also addressed the tragedy, stating, “Like so many communities across the country, today our community has experienced a mass shooting, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. A state police trooper has also been injured.”

Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the incident.