Five people, including the suspect, were killed and three others were injured in a shooting at a birthday party in northern Kentucky Saturday morning.
Officers responded to multiple reports of an active shooter at a home in Florence, Kentucky, around 3 a.m.
When officers arrived on scene, shots were still being fired and two victims were lying in front of the home, Florence Police Chief Jeff Mallery said at a news conference Saturday afternoon.
Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene and three others were taken to a local hospital and are in stable condition. Police said they are expected to make a full recovery.
“We’ve never had to deal with this before. I know it’s happened all over the country, but this is the first time we’ve had a mass shooting in Florence,” Mallery said at the news conference. “It’s very emotional.”
Mallery identified the four victims as 19-year-old Delaney Eary, 20-year-old Shane Miller, 20-year-old Hayden Rybicki and 44-year-old Melissa Parrett.
Boone County Coroner Missy Rittinger confirmed that two victims were female and two were male.
The shooter was identified as 21-year-old Chase Garvey.
The incident occurred during a birthday party for Parrett’s 21-year-old son.
Partygoers knew the suspect and identified him to officers, Mallery said. The suspect’s motive is still under investigation.
“I don’t believe he was invited to the party, but there is a relationship,” he said, adding that preliminary investigation indicates “he just showed up.”
Garvey fled in a car, police said. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but he continued driving, leading to a chase. Mallery said police believe Garvey shot himself while driving and ended up in a ditch.
Police found the suspect with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
An initial investigation indicated the suspect acted alone, Florence police said. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office confirmed its officers responded with Florence officers last night, but it is not conducting a separate investigation.
Florence is located approximately 12 miles southwest of Cincinnati, Ohio.