PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — June 30 marks the one-year anniversary of a fatal shooting in Floyd County that left multiple law enforcement officers dead.
The event is widely considered to be the single deadliest event for Kentucky law enforcement in a century.
One year later, the tragedy of that night still baffles the community.
“Some days it feels like it's been 10 years, some days it feels like yesterday,” said Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt.
Hunt said the incident stemmed from a domestic violence investigation call. Four Floyd County deputies went to a house in Allen to serve an emergency protective order.
Hunt said they immediately came under fire. An arrest citation says Lance Storz used a rifle to fire multiple rounds at multiple officers around his residence on Railroad Street.
“The initial call was that I had a deputy shot,” said Hunt. “Little did I know that as I continued on to the scene, I could hear things playing out that made me think 'It's worse than just one guy shot, maybe we're shooting back, I don't know.’ Then, as I got there, I heard people needing help, some were blind from glass or gunfire, they were pinned down, other deputies were screaming.”
Thinking back, Sheriff Hunt said the particular memory that he can’t shake is delivering the news to the family of Deputy Will Petry.
“Obviously you make the trip to the family…so that'll always be what you remember, is having to look at that wife or that kid in the eye and tell them about their dad,” said Hunt.
Captain Ralph Frasure, Deputy William Petry, Canine Handler Jacob Chaffins, and K-9 Officer Drago were all killed in the shootout.
In February, the suspect, Lance Storz, died by suicide in jail.
“It's been a tough year. It's been a very hard year,” said Hunt.
For Hunt’s department, community support began the moment word spread about the fatal shooting. One year later, that support hasn’t waned.
“There's not been many days we've walked in here that someone didn't bring us something to show us that support."
Friday evening, a candlelight vigil to honor the victims will be held in Prestonsburg.
