Police charge parent with murder after deadly on-campus shooting at Kentucky State University

A parent visiting Kentucky State University has been charged with murder after a shooting inside a campus residence hall left a 19-year-old student dead and another critically injured. The incident, which unfolded on Tuesday at the historically Black university in Frankfort, prompted renewed scrutiny of campus security just months after a separate shooting near student housing.

What do police say about the shooting?

Police identified the suspect as 48-year-old Jacob Lee Bard, who they allege fired multiple shots at two students inside a residence hall. According to investigators, Bard was on campus when the confrontation occurred.

In a statement, police said Bard “fired shots at the victims at a residence hall,” adding that the attack appeared to be isolated. Detectives have not yet released any information regarding a possible motive.

The shooting killed De’Jon Fox, a 19-year-old student from Indianapolis. A second student remains in critical condition; authorities have not released his name.

Bard, who is from Evansville, Indiana — roughly 150 miles west of Frankfort — was arrested at the scene by university police and later booked on charges of murder and first-degree assault.

How did the arrest occur?

Police said that Kentucky university officers were already near the scene when the altercation escalated and “immediately arrested Bard.”

Investigators have since reviewed mobile phone footage recorded by individuals present during the incident, as well as surveillance video from the residence hall.

Was an earlier altercation involved?

Reporters questioned whether a fight involving Bard’s sons may have preceded the shooting. They also asked whether Bard had travelled to campus to speak with administrators about concerns relating to his sons' safety.

Frankfort Assistant Police Chief Scott Tracy declined to address those claims directly.

“It’s really too early in the investigation right now to really give any details that led up to it. A lot of it would be speculation,” Tracy said on Wednesday.

Bard is being represented by a public defender from the Franklin County Department of Public Advocacy, which declined to comment on the case.

Where on campus did the shooting occur?

The shooting took place inside Whitney M. Young Jr. Hall, a student residence where another shooting had occurred four months earlier. On 17 August, shots were fired from a vehicle near the dormitory, injuring two people who were not students. Police said one suffered minor injuries while the other sustained serious wounds. The building and at least one vehicle were damaged in that incident.

How is the university responding?

Kentucky State University President Koffi C. Akakpo said the campus had already increased police presence following the August shooting and would reassess safety measures once the current investigation concludes.

“The campus is a safe place,” Akakpo said at a news conference, adding that the university would review what additional actions might be required.

What is Kentucky State University?

Kentucky State University is a public historically Black university founded in 1886. It enrols about 2,200 students and is located approximately two miles east of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort.

The university has not released additional details about support being offered to students or changes to campus operations following the shooting.