Kentucky sheriff charged in fatal shooting of judge at courthouse

This story was updated to add new information.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A sheriff in southeastern Kentucky was arrested and charged with murder after a district judge was fatally shot in his chambers on Thursday, authorities said.

Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was fatally shot at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky, on Thursday afternoon, according to Kentucky State Police spokesperson Matt Gayheart. Police arrested Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines at the scene and charged him with one count of first-degree murder.

Several law enforcement agencies and emergency medical services responded to the courthouse after receiving a 911 call at about 2:55 p.m. ET regarding shots being fired from inside the building, Gayheart said in a statement on Facebook. Authorities discovered Mullins with "multiple gunshot wounds," according to Gayheart.

"Lifesaving measures were attempted but unsuccessful," Gayheart said. "Mullins was pronounced deceased on scene by the Letcher County Coroner’s Office."

A preliminary investigation revealed that Stines, 43, fatally shot Mullins after an argument inside the courthouse, Gayheart said. Stines was taken into custody shortly after without incident.

The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing. The incident was initially announced by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who said on social media that a district judge had been shot in his chambers.

"Sadly, I have been informed that a district judge in Letcher County was shot and killed in his chambers this afternoon," Beshear said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday. "There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow."

Investigation after deadly shooting

The shooting occurred at the Letcher County courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky, which is about 146 miles southeast of Lexington. Kentucky State Auditor of Public Accounts Allison Ball made a post on social media confirming Mullins was the victim in the shooting and offering the community condolences.

"I’m praying for Letcher County and District Judge Kevin Mullins who was shot earlier today. May God protect this community and all those involved in the shooting," Ball wrote.

Following the incident, state Attorney General Russell Coleman said his office would collaborate with Commonwealth's Attorney for the 27th Judicial Circuit Jackie Steele on the investigation.

In a statement posted on social media, officials from the Kentucky Court of Justice acknowledged the incident and said it was working with state police.

"The Kentucky Court of Justice is aware of a tragic incident that occurred today in Letcher County. We are currently in contact with law enforcement agencies, including Kentucky State Police, and are offering our full support during this difficult time. While the investigation is ongoing, we are committed to providing assistance in any way that we can," the statement said.

'Whole community grew together with Judge Mullin'

Mullins, the district judge of the 47th Judicial District which presides over Letcher County, was appointed to the position in 2009 by former Gov. Steve Beshear, according to an archived article in The Mountain Eagle. He was elected to the position the next year, election records show.

He graduated from the University of Kentucky and attended the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law as a postgraduate student. Before becoming a judge, he served as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Letcher County beginning in 2001.

Mullins was also an advocate for programs that diverted people with substance use disorder toward treatment rather than detention. He championed a program in Letcher County that allowed people facing behavioral health issues to have their charges dropped in exchange for successful completion of a treatment program, The Mountain Eagle previously reported.

Mark O'Brien, a site supervisor at the Letcher County branch of The Hub, an addiction recovery and harm reduction service provider, said Mullins supported him throughout his recovery journey. Mullins urged O'Brien to expand The Hub into Letcher County to provide justice-involved individuals another nearby service option.

"The whole community grew together with Judge Mullin to make it more accessible for people to succeed in recovery," O'Brien said. "He realized the community had a problem, and he got everybody together and said, 'Let's fix the problem. Let's not try to hide it, let's try to fix it.'"

In a statement Thursday, Chief Justice Laurance VanMeter said he was "shocked by this act of violence" and that the court system was "shaken" after the deadly shooting.

"My prayers are with his family and the Letcher County community as they try to process and mourn this tragic loss," VanMeter wrote. "We are committed to supporting law enforcement in their efforts and will avoid any actions that could impede their important work. Our priority at this time is the well-being and safety of the Kentucky Court of Justice family."

Local schools went on lockdown after the shooting

Letcher County Central High School in Whitesburg went into a lockdown in response to the incident and has since released students to go home, school officials said on social media.

"After a call from Kentucky State Police, we were ordered to go into a mandatory lockdown because of an active shooting in downtown. Your children are safe. The shooter has been apprehended," the school said.

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College also went into lockdown, citing a "threat at the courthouse near campus" and canceled campus events.

Contributing: Charles Ventura, USA TODAY