LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Newly released video shows Kentucky State Police using an armored vehicle to rescue three deputies and a civilian pinned down by gunfire during a deadly standoff in Adair County earlier this year.
The standoff happened April 20 at a home on Chestnut Grove Road in Columbia. Four people died, including the suspected gunman, 38-year-old Ryan Sneed.
Troopers responded with deputies from the Adair County Sheriff's Office to a reported shooting just before 11 a.m. Dispatchers said a caller reported that his brother, 37-year-old Michael Curry, was shot.
KSP said one deputy and a civilian came under fire from Sneed when they arrived. They took cover but were pinned down for several hours.
Two more deputies tried to reach them using ballistic shields. KSP said Sneed fired at them too, forcing them to take cover.
That left all three deputies and the civilian trapped.
Other officers who responded also came under fire.
KSP's Special Response Team was eventually called to the scene. Newly released dash camera and body camera video shows troopers using an armored Chevrolet Suburban as a moving shield to reach the four people.
Troopers got all three deputies and the civilian to safety. No law enforcement officers were injured, but the aftermath of the incident shows at least 16 bullet holes deputies' vehicle.
The standoff lasted for hours, during which Sneed had threatened to kill members of his family.
That's when detectives went to conduct welfare checks. They found Sneed's mother, 67-year-old Joyce Sneed, dead inside a home on Lakeview Drive. Detectives also went to a home on Henson Road, where they found Sneed's 63-year-old aunt, Debra Clark, dead.
Adair County Sheriff's Office said investigators believe Sneed is responsible for the three fatal shootings.
Just before 7 p.m., KSP said Sneed came out of the Chestnut Grove Road home with a gun. Special Response Team troopers fired at him, killing him.
Police then went inside and found Curry dead.
Gov. Andy Beshear recognized the Special Response Team on Thursday, saying the rescue showed "teamwork and selflessness."
"Thank you to our Special Response Team for their bravery in supporting their neighbors and their local law enforcement colleagues," Beshear said.
KSP said the armored Suburban was purchased in 2021 and is designed to protect against rifle fire, including armor-piercing rounds. It's one of several specialized vehicles used by KSP during high-risk situations.
The agency said the vehicle allows its Special Response Team to quickly reach officers and civilians when larger armored vehicles aren't practical.
"Our troopers and officers never know what they could encounter when responding to a call for help," said KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr.. "By investing in advanced tools, KSP continues its mission to protect and serve the people of Kentucky while ensuring our personnel have the tools they need to safely respond to evolving public safety challenges."
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