Police Release More Info On Berea Shooting Suspect (1 injured, 1 dead, Berea College on lockdown)

[antigone382]

Source: LEX18--Lexington NBC News

Police say Matthew Denholm shot and killed one person and injured another in an apartment above a law office along Chestnut Street just after 7 a.m.

(snip)

Police say that Denholm may be armed with two high-powered rifles and a bullet-proof vest.

Denholm is a veteran and has a medical history. He had an appointment scheduled for Monday at 10 a.m. at the VA Hospital on Leestown Road in Lexington.

Berea College canceled classes Monday. The afternoon kindergarten and preschool at Shannon Johnson Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary have been cancelled. Lockdown remains in place at this time for Madison Southern High, Foley Middle, Farristown Middle, Shannon Johnson and Silver Creek.

Read more: http://www.lex18.com/news/police-release-more-info-on-berea-shooting-suspect

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From what I've learned, Matthew Denholm was a former campus public safety officer (he was fired for tackling a student). The shooting occurred at the apartment of a recent Berea graduate (I know him, but not well. I am friendw with his sister; he was not one of the ones shot). The rumors are that there was an argument last night, and the guy came back this morning with pepper spray and guns. I didn't know the victims, though I have seen them around town.

(edited...only one person was injured)

[antigone382]

1. I forgot to add that 301 Chestnut street is directly adjacent to the campus.

It's a law office with apartments in the basement and on the top floor. The shooting was in the top floor apartment.

[antigone382]

2. kick.

Thanks for the recommends...

[antigone382]

3. Latest unofficial updates are that he broke a window, threw in tear gas, and started shooting.

He is armed with several high powered rifles.

[Demeter]

4. Thoughts and support and prayers

It's got to stop--this whole idiocy.

[antigone382]

6. Thank you. n/t

[get the red out]

5. OMG, this is horrible

Quiet little Berea!!!!!! This is just so terrible! I don't know how I've missed this until now, living in Lexington.

These damned wars.

[antigone382]

8. Yeah, it's hard to wrap my mind around. The campus is still on lockdown.

I still can't comprehend what motivated this guy to act as he did...I think he's married with children, as well as other people who are affected (but I'm not sure. I'm basing this off of face book photos, more or less). The latest report is that there may be another person, a white male, traveling with him as well.

I don't think students are still in danger at this point, because he seemed to have specifically targeted some people with whom he had an argument. Still, his actions are so senseless and disproportionate that it's hard to know what he might do next.

[Tsiyu]

7. OMG one of my kids goes there

Damn, logged in to check something else and find this...holy shit.

[antigone382]

9. Yeah...I'm kind of one of them.

Everyone I know is safe. Rumors are that the shooter fled to Richmond.

[Tsiyu]

10. Thank Gawd, girlie

Just PM'd you cuz you know Grandma will be freaked out, almost as bad as me

Love you and will see you soon :hug:

On edit: didn't realize you posted the thread...am I an idgit or what?

Mothers....sheesh....

[antigone382]

11. I pre-emptively let her know I was OK on facebook.

It did happen kind of just up the street from where I live. The guy who did it worked for Campus Public Safety last year.

[Tsiyu]

12. Crazy - the last thing I'd expect there

It's sad that violence is a part of life no matter where we are.

Hope everyone else is well up there. Give my love to friends and their little one.

And thank you for saving me a phone call to G'Ma!

[antigone382]

13. No problem. Wanted to get the word out...did not want to freak her out.

Unfortunately, last I heard Alison was stuck at a local coffee shop...she went up to campus before hearing about the lock down, so as far as I know she's still there. Sucks that she can't spend the day with Karen.

[antigone382]

14. Updated | Berea police: Shooting suspect had previous altercation with victims

Denholm had an altercation with the two victims Sunday night in the rear parking lot of the brick building.

"We don't know what it was about and don't know the cause of it," Clark said. "We do feel it is related to the shooting this morning."

Shortly after 7 a.m. Monday, police responded to a report of shots fired at 301 Chestnut Street, directly across from Berea City Hall. Officers found the two gunshot victims.

"I'm not sure of the extent of his injuries," Clark said of the survivor, who was taken to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/11/21/1968107/1-killed-in-double-shooting-in.html#ixzz1eMkXs3Az

No official mention yet of tear gas, though several people close to the situation have told me that is what he used.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

15. Is this a veteran of Afghanistan and/or Iraq?

[antigone382]

16. Yes, two tours of Afghanistan, I believe.

His job was disarming roadside bombs, according to his uncle (read about it here: http://www.lex18.com/news/uncle-berea-murder-suspect-disarmed-bombs-in-iraq-afghanistan). Some Facebook posts from those who knew him said that he was suffering from psychological issues as a result of his service, but I don't know for sure either way.

Edit: according to the news story in the above link, he served in Afghanistan and Iraq as well. His facebook photo shows him holding a newborn...I assume that's his child. The situation is just horribly tragic all around.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

17. And so it begins.

You don't have to be a genius to predict that this will repeat itself many times in the following years. Some WWII vets may have fought for four years and were exposed to severe trauma, but at least they knew who the enemy was, what the objective was and what the end game would be. Our recent vets have gone through Vietnam two, three, four, five; as much as seven times over. We now live in a nation of ticking time bombs waiting to go off.

[antigone382]

18. UPDATE: Berea Shooting Suspect Arrested In Louisville

Investigators on the scene of a fatal shooting in Berea Monday morning said the suspect in the shooting that left one person dead and another wounded has been arrested in Louisville.

So far, police have not released any other details in the arrest ofMatthew Denholm, 27, who they say shot and killed one person and injured another in an apartment above a law office along Chestnut Street just after 7 a.m.

Police have not identified the victims, saying only they were both males. The injured man was taken to UK Hospital. No word on the extent of his injuries.

According to his uncle, Denholm joined the U.S. Army after graduating high school, and did some of the most dangerous work a person can do overseas, as he was responsible for disarming road-side bombs and explosives to clear the way for U.S. troops to get around.

http://www.lex18.com/news/berea-shooting-suspect-arrested-in-louisville/

Edited to note: folks here are saying he also had an accomplice who has not been apprehended. However, the lockdown has been lifted.

[FailureToCommunicate]

19. Thank you, antigone, for staying on this story!

[antigone382]

20. No problem...it happened just a block or two away from me...

Students have all been locked inside their respective buildings all day, with not much to do but follow and discuss the news. I *really* need to get back to my homework now...but I'm still so shocked by it all...the unofficial description of how he went about this is really just too much to believe.

[alfredo]

21. The Leestown VA is primary care, including mental health.

You see a lot of thousand mile stares there.


Berea is not known as a violent town, it is known for its arts and the top rated Berea College.

[antigone382]

22. Yeah, I mean there's petty theft, etc...but nothing like this.

This wasn't a burglary or something...this was pure, premeditated, anger-fueled violence...

[alfredo]

23. He won't ever see a day of freedom. We will see more veteran violence

For the next few decades.