Shooting near Kentucky courthouse leaves 2 dead, 1 injured, suspect shoots self after police confrontation.

In Elizabethtown, Kentucky, a tragic incident unfolded outside a courthouse where a gunman shot and killed a mother and her daughter while injuring another man before leading police on a highway chase and eventually turning the gun on himself. The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Christopher Elder, was left in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound, as per Elizabethtown police.

According to authorities, one of the victims, 37-year-old Erica Riley from Elizabethtown, had attended a court hearing in Hardin County along with Elder earlier that day. Elizabethtown Police Chief Jeremy Thompson disclosed that the two had a prior relationship. Janet Riley, 71, Erica’s mother from Hardinsburg, was also shot and sadly passed away after being taken to a hospital, the police report stated on Monday.

The shooting took place in a parking lot, following which Elder fled the scene. Law enforcement officers managed to locate Elder’s vehicle on a highway in western Kentucky, initiating a pursuit that concluded with Elder shooting himself after negotiations with police.

Elizabethtown, situated approximately 45 miles south of Louisville, was shaken by the events. The wounded man, who shares a relation with Riley, was reported to be in stable condition by the authorities, while his identity was withheld.

Following the shooting, nearby schools were put on a “soft lockdown” until authorities confirmed that the incident was isolated. Eyewitness Michael Cockerel recounted hearing gunshots while leaving the Hardin County Justice Center, initially mistaking them for construction noise before realizing the gravity of the situation and seeking cover.

Cockerel described the harrowing moments when he discovered the victims across the street but did not come face to face with the shooter. The correct spelling of Janet Riley’s surname was clarified in an update by the Elizabethtown Police Department to rectify an earlier error.