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Who is Jacob Lee Bard and why the Kentucky State University shooting suspect was not indicted
Jacob Lee Bard, accused of the fatal shooting of De’Jon Fox at Kentucky State University on Dec 9, was not indicted citing lack of evidence.
Frankfort grand jury declined to indict Jacob Bard Lee, the 48-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a Kentucky State University (KSU) student and injuring another last week, on Tuesday, December 23.
The decision of “No True Bill” by the jury came after they decided that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to pursue murder or first-degree assault charges. Bard's attorney said on Tuesday that the grand jury found that Bard acted in self-defense on the day of the shooting.
This effectively ends the prosecution of Brad in the December 9 incident under Kentucky law. His attorneys said in a written statement that “This matter is now closed.”
Read more: Kentucky State University shooting: Injuries reported after gunfire; details out
What happened, and who is Jacob Bard Lee?
On December 9, Bard was arrested on the KSU campus after he allegedly killed a student, De’Jon Fox, 19, of Indianapolis and injured another critically.
Due to safety concerns regarding an alleged assault by 15 to 20 people. The couple claimed that the son was hit with weapons and baseball bats in his dorm.
According to Danks & Danks, on October 11, a gang broke into Bard's son's dorm room by setting off a fire alarm and disabling security cameras with fire extinguishers. The lawyers also stated that Bard's son started getting threats when he told the resident assistant about the incident.
Bard and his wife were at KSU to relocate their son back home.
The shooting occurred outside after another group attacked the family while security was taking them inside the hostel, according to Frankfort Police.
According to his lawyers' account, Bard saw the mob gathering and armed himself with his wife's revolver, but the mob attacked once his family arrived at the dorm entrance.
Read more: Shooting at Kentucky State University in US leaves one dead, suspect in custody
“Completely justified” in using deadly force
Bard's lawyers from Danks & Danks stated that he was "completely justified" in employing lethal force in a long statement made public on Monday.
Danks & Danks wrote, “Not only was Jacob Bard completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force that day, but Jacob also took every reasonable step to alert Kentucky State University and the Kentucky State University Police Department of the imminent danger his sons and other students were in.”
The statement from the law firm also stated that the group that attacked Bard and his family consisted of 20 to 30 individuals, most of whom were not students at the school. They covered their faces with hoods, ski masks, and other apparel.
His lawyers said, “In the chaos, Jacob tried to physically pull the individuals off his son, was struck and when he was unable to do so.”
The statement went on to say, “Seeing his son in imminent danger of death and serious physical injury, Jacob then drew his firearm and shot two individuals who were actively and viciously beating his son.”
