Troopers killed armed man in Adair County after finding his mother, aunt and friend dead, KSP says

COLUMBIA, Ky. (WDRB) — An armed suspect in the fatal shootings of three people in Adair County was shot and killed by police after an hourslong standoff Monday.

According to Kentucky State Police, troopers responded with deputies from the Adair County Sheriff's Office to a reported shooting at a home on Chestnut Grove Road just before 11 a.m. Dispatchers said someone called to report that his brother, 37-year-old Michael Curry, was shot.

Deputies responding to the scene were met with gunfire coming from the home, where 38-year-old Ryan Sneed, of Columbia, was barricaded and making threats to kill his family.

Aftermath of the incident shows at least 16 bullet holes in the deputies vehicle.

Detectives then went to conduct welfare checks on several of Sneed's family members. They found Sneed's mother, 67-year-old Joyce Sneed, dead inside a home on Lakeview Drive. Detectives also went to a home on Henson Road, where they found Sneed's 63-year-old aunt, Debra Clark, dead.

Adair County Sheriff Gary Roy said the department believes Sneed is responsible for the three fatal shootings.

"I knew his mother and I knew his aunt that both passed away, went to school with his mother, very nice lady," Mayor Pam Hoots said.

Police said Sneed's mother refused to sign a warrant on him or press charges after some threats were initially made.

KSP's Critical Incident Response and Special Response teams were asked to respond to the home on Chestnut Grove Road to assist. Police attempted to "negotiate a peaceful resolution" with Sneed for several hours, during which Sneed would periodically exchange gunfire with law enforcement.

Police said a battering ram and CO2 gas was used to try to get him out of the home.

KSP said Sneed exited the home with a gun just before 7 p.m. Troopers on KSP's Special Response team discharged their weapons, hitting Sneed, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Police went inside the home and found Curry, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A KSP trooper said Curry was Sneed's friend.

"We've dealt with him several times," Roy said.

No law enforcement members were injured.

Investigators with KSP's Critical Incident Response Team are leading the ongoing investigation into the trooper-involved shooting, while KSP investigates the murders of Joyce Sneed, Clark and Curry.

"A sad day and tragic day for a lot of people for sure," Roy said.

Sneed had pending cases of drug possession, fleeing and evading police and terroristic threatening with a court date of April 28.

This story may be updated.