Judge Kevin Mullins was fatally shot in his chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, a small town in southeastern Kentucky. The State Auditor of Public Accounts of the Commonwealth, Allison Ball, confirmed the Judge’s identity on X.
The Mountain Eagle newspaper reports that the alleged perpetrator, Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Stines, has been taken into custody and charged with first-degree. According to Kentucky State Police, the incident is said to have occurred on Thursday afternoon shortly before 3:00 p.m. ET when a 911 call reported gunshots within the courthouse.
They stated that law enforcement agencies and many emergency personnel in the area had quickly rushed to the scene after the report. However, they found Judge Kevin Mullins with multiple gunshot wounds, and despite their “life-saving measures,” he passed away in his chambers, according to the Letcher County Coroner’s Office.
During Thursday night’s news conference, the Kentucky State Police alleged that 43-year-old Stines had shot Mullins, 54, after the pair had an argument inside the Letcher County Courthouse. The exact nature of the dispute remains unclear, and investigators are working to determine the motive behind the shooting. The suspect was immediately apprehended at the scene of the crime and later transported to a correctional facility. It is stated that he is currently cooperating with the investigation.
Governor Andy Beshear has expressed on X that he is saddened by the news, writing, “Sadly, I have been informed that a district judge in Letcher County was shot and killed in his chambers this afternoon. There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow.”
Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Laurance VanMeter also released a statement on Facebook asking the community to respect the deceased’s family’s privacy as they mourn their loss. He also wrote that he was shocked by the act of violence and would be supporting law enforcement in their investigation. The courthouse was closed on Friday.
Judge Kevin Mullins served in the 47th Judicial District, overseeing a variety of cases, including juvenile matters, misdemeanors and domestic violence cases.