LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The law firm representing the suspect in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University released a statement Monday detailing why they believe the use of deadly force was justified.
This comes a day before the Franklin County Commonwealth Attorney will convene a grand jury to consider an indictment for murder.
Jacob Bard, 48, of Evansville, Indiana, is facing charges of murder and assault after being accused of shooting two students. De'Jon Darrell Fox Jr., 19, of Indianapolis, died, and the other student was intially listed in critical condition after the Dec. 9 shooting near M. Young Jr. Hall.
New video shows the aftermath of a Dec. 9, 2025 shooting at Kentucky State University.
"Not only was Jacob Bard completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force that day, but Jacob also took every reasonable step to alert Kentucky State University and the Kentucky State University Police Department of the imminent danger his sons and other students were in," Danks & Danks said in a statement.
At the time of the shooting, Frankfort police said they were called to the KSU campus around 3:10 p.m. Dec. 9 on a reported shooting. Assistant Chief Scott Tracy said officers arrived on scene within a few minutes, and campus police had already taken Bard into custody. He was taken to the Franklin County Regional Jail, where he was booked on charges of murder and first-degree assault.
Police said security was escorting the family into the building when another group attacked them, and it moved outside, which is where the shooting happened.
The statement from Bard's lawyers claims there were 20 to 30 people in the group and a majority were not students at the school and wore ski masks, hoods and other clothing to hide their faces.
Bard reportedly noticed the mob forming and armed himself with his wife's gun, but once his family reached the entrance of the dorm, the mob attacked, the statement from his lawyers said.
"In the chaos, Jacob tried to physically pull the individuals off his son, was struck and when he was unable to do so, and seeing his son in imminent danger of death and serious physical injury, Jacob then drew his firearm and shot two individuals who were actively and viciously beating his son," Danks & Danks said in a statement.
According to the statement, the attack on Dec. 9 happened after the dorm room of Jacob Bard’s son was burglarized on or about Oct. 11. They claim a group pulled the fire alarm and used fire extinguishers to disable the security cameras.
Jacob Bard's son reported the incident to his assigned resident assistant, and his son then began receiving threats.
The statement claims three days before the shooting, his son and three others with him were assaulted by 15 to 20 people. Then the day before the shooting, they claim 20 to 30 people attacked his son in his dorm room with baseball bats and other weapons.
An officer responded but no arrests were made. That's when Jacob Bard's son called his family sharing what had been going on, and they immediately drove to campus.
According to the statement from Danks & Danks, after meeting with campus police and the university dean, Jacob Bard "became convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment for their son and informed the university they were moving him home due to extreme safety concerns."
A not guilty plea was entered for Bard during his arraignment, where a judge set his bond at $1 million cash. The commonwealth had asked for a $500,000 bond.
"Jacob Bard was given no option but to use necessary deadly force to protect his sons, his wife and himself from serious bodily injury or death," Danks & Danks said in a statement.
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