There was a deadly campus shooting at Kentucky State University in early December 2025. One student was killed and another was critically injured, and a suspect is in custody.
What happened
A shooting occurred on the afternoon of December 9, 2025, in or near Whitney M. Young Jr. Hall, a residence hall on the Kentucky State University campus in Frankfort, Kentucky. Two students were shot; one later died and the other was reported to be in critical but stable condition while receiving medical care.
Police and campus security responded within minutes, and officials have described the event as an isolated incident linked to a personal dispute rather than a random mass shooting. Law enforcement also reviewed witness and surveillance video as part of the investigation.
Victims and suspect
Authorities identified the student who died as 19‑year‑old De’Jon Darrell Fox Jr., a Kentucky State University student from Indianapolis. The second student, whose name has not been released by the university, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition according to official statements.
The suspect has been identified as 48‑year‑old Jacob Lee Bard of Evansville, Indiana, who is the parent of a Kentucky State student and not enrolled at the university himself. Bard was taken into custody on campus shortly after the shooting and has been charged with murder and first‑degree assault, with officials indicating the gunfire followed a physical confrontation.
Campus response
Kentucky State University canceled all classes, final exams, and campus activities for the remainder of that week, noting that the fall semester had been scheduled to end within days. The university stated that students could return home if they wished and promised additional instructions to affected students and faculty.
University leaders, including President Koffi Akakpo, publicly called the shooting a “senseless tragedy” and asked for support and prayers for students and families. Counseling and support services were made available to students, faculty, and staff in response to the incident.
