One man is dead following an officer involved shooting early Monday morning in southern Whitley County.
Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley has identified the deceased as Ronald W. Leach, 29, of Fairfield, Tennessee. Kentucky State Police list Leach’s address as Jellico, Tennessee.
Leach died from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and extremities. He was shot three times, Croley said.
“He did die instantly,” Croley noted.
An autopsy is being performed on Leach Monday morning at the state medical examiner’s office in Frankfort.
Although Leach was from Tennessee, he had been residing at the house where the shooting occurred, Croley said.
About 1:26 a.m., Kentucky State Police from Post 11 in London received a call from Whitley County 911 about Leach threatening harm to his one-year-old child inside a vehicle in the driveway of his residence, which is located on Highway 1804, according to a KSP release.
When the responding trooper arrived at the scene, it was discovered that Leach had gotten out of his vehicle and taken the child inside his residence and attempted to barricade himself inside.
The responding trooper entered the residence and located Leach and the child inside, according to the release.
A physical altercation then ensued between Leach and the trooper.
“During the altercation, the male subject attempted to assault the trooper with a weapon. The trooper fired his service weapon striking the subject,” the release stated.
Leach was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neither the child nor the trooper were injuring during the incident.
So far authorities haven’t released the name of the trooper involved in the shooting.
The trooper has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol in all officer-involved shootings, the release noted.
The KSP Critical Incident Response Team is continuing the investigation.
