Incident at Kentucky State University Involving Family and Campus Police
A man was arrested following a shooting incident at Kentucky State University, where he allegedly shot two students. The incident occurred after the man’s family reported an earlier attack on their son, who was reportedly involved in a separate altercation the same day.
On December 9, Jacob Bard, 48, and his wife visited the university’s student affairs office and campus police to report an alleged assault on their son. This was revealed during a court hearing, as reported by the Lexington Herald Leader.
Following the report, the family was escorted to their son’s dormitory to help him move out. During this time, they were allegedly attacked, with surveillance footage showing several individuals approaching them, one wielding a baseball bat.
The shooting occurred shortly after 3 p.m. at Whitney M. Young Hall, resulting in two individuals being shot. One victim, De’Jon Fox Jr., a 19-year-old student, later died from his injuries at a hospital.
A second student was injured but is in stable condition, according to the Frankfort Police Department. The identity of the second victim has not been disclosed.
Bard was charged with felony murder and first-degree assault. His bail was initially set at $1 million, but a judge later allowed him to post 10 percent of it, or $100,000.
The Frankfort Police Department described the shooting as an “isolated incident” and assured that there were no ongoing safety concerns on campus or in the community.
No clear motive has been revealed, but Detective Laura Marco noted there was “bad blood” between Bard’s son and a group of students involved in the alleged attack.
Testimony in court revealed that the family requested a police escort due to safety concerns following their son’s report of being assaulted.
Marco explained that Bard’s son had informed his family of being assaulted, leading them to come to the campus for his safety.
Security footage allegedly showed Bard’s son in a physical altercation with two students, though they were not among those shot. This altercation was part of ongoing tensions.
Marco testified that Bard’s son was the aggressor in an elevator incident, where he and another person allegedly attacked a victim in the hallway.
The shooting incident reportedly began when Bard’s wife asked to enter the building, leading to a clash between two groups, during which Bard allegedly fired his gun twice.
According to reports, Bard’s son was on the ground when the gun was fired.
Bard’s lawyer, Mark Hall, argued that Bard acted in self-defense to protect his family, who were under attack.
During cross-examination, Hall asked Detective Marco about witnesses who claimed Bard’s son was assaulted by a group of young men.
Prosecutors stated that Bard admitted to the shooting, arguing that deadly force was unnecessary in the situation.
If Bard posts bond, he must avoid contact with anyone involved in the case. His case will proceed to a grand jury, followed by an arraignment if indictments are issued.
