Tragedy Strikes Lexington Church as Family Grieves Loved Ones Lost in Shooting
It’s hard to find the right words when something so senseless happens, especially in a place meant to be sacred and safe. The Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky—a place where love, faith, and community thrived—has now become the scene of unthinkable tragedy. A shooting on Sunday has shaken not just the church, but the entire community to its core.
This wasn’t just a random act of violence—it was deeply personal. Four members of this small, tight-knit congregation were shot. Two of them lost their lives: 72-year-old Beverly Gumm and her 32-year-old daughter, Christina Combs. What makes this even more heartbreaking is that they were not just members of the congregation—they were the wife and daughter of Pastor Jerry Gumm, who himself was wounded in the attack along with his son-in-law, Randy Combs.
The man behind the shooting, identified as Guy House, entered the church with a gun and a chilling demand—to speak with someone named Angel. When he was told she wasn’t there, he responded with cold brutality. Beverly Gumm, known to many simply as a woman of grace and compassion, was shot when trying to protect her family. Her daughter Christina didn’t survive either. The pastor and his son-in-law are currently hospitalized, both sedated and undergoing treatment.
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Star Rutherford, Beverly’s daughter, shared the unimaginable moment she witnessed her mother’s murder. She and her mom were downstairs preparing lunch when House barged in. Star recalled her mom trying to shield others even as she faced death. She called her mother a woman who “loved her babies and loved the Lord,” someone who dedicated her time to helping the homeless and supporting people battling addiction.
This act of violence isn’t just an attack on individuals—it’s an attack on a family, a congregation, and a community that sees itself as one big family. The Richmond Road Baptist Church isn’t a massive cathedral. It’s a place where nearly everyone is either related or bonded like family through years of shared faith and friendship. That closeness makes the loss even more devastating.
Authorities say the shooter had been involved in another violent incident earlier in the day involving a Kentucky State Police trooper. After fleeing that scene, he eventually made his way to the church, where the deadly encounter unfolded. Law enforcement responded quickly, and the suspect was shot and killed on the scene.
Governor Andy Beshear expressed his heartbreak publicly, and many in Kentucky are grappling with how something so horrific could happen in a place built on love and service.
This moment is more than just news. It’s a wound in the heart of a community. And for those left behind—especially Pastor Jerry Gumm and his family—it will take time, love, and an incredible amount of faith to begin healing. But even in grief, there’s strength in togetherness. As Lexington mourns, it also holds each other a little tighter.
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