Kentucky church shooting kills three

KENTUCKY, July 14 (Reuters): A gunman killed two women at a church in Kentucky and shot and wounded a state trooper outside an airport on Sunday before police were able to shoot him to death, authorities said.

The women were killed at the Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington. Two men were also wounded there, including one who was in critical condition, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told an afternoon press conference.

Authorities did not provide the suspect's name or age. "There are days like today that are extremely difficult," Weathers said. "Sometimes things happen, you just don't have a reason why."

The suspect fired at the trooper after being pulled over near Blue Grass Airport at about 11:30 a.m. in Fayette County, Weathers said. The shooting happened on a road that rings the airport but was not connected to its operations, police said.

The trooper was being treated at a nearby hospital and was in stable condition.