By Christopher Leach
Lexington Herald-Leader
ADAIR COUNTY, Ky. — Kentucky State Police have released body-worn camera footage showing how officers used an armored vehicle to shield three deputies and a civilian during an hours-long standoff with an armed suspect earlier this year.
The incident happened April 20 at a house on Chestnut Grove Road in Adair County. State police previously said an Adair County Sheriff’s Office deputy and a civilian went to the house after there was a reported shooting at the house, and when they arrived, Ryan Sneed, 38, of Columbia, opened fire.
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The deputy and the civilian took cover from the gunfire and were not able to escape to safety. State police said two other deputies attempted to rescue the deputy and civilian with ballistic shields, but Sneed fired more gunshots and forced the assisting deputies to take cover, leaving all four people trapped.
The deputies and civilian were pinned down for several hours until state police’s Special Response Team rescued them with the help of an armored Chevrolet Suburban High Country, according to the agency. The released body camera footage shows a deputy and the civilian taking cover behind the vehicle while it slowly backs away from the scene.
“Thank you to our Special Response Team for their bravery in supporting their neighbors and their local law enforcement colleagues,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a news release. “This example of teamwork and selflessness represents the best of Kentucky.”
The armored Chevrolet was bought in 2021 and has been used in multiple “high-risk” incidents. State police said the armor is strong enough to stop rifle fire and armor-piercing rifle rounds.
“Our armored Suburban is a key piece of lifesaving equipment that is often used by our Special Response Team , allowing them to quickly deploy protective armor to critical incidents in austere locations where utilizing the Bearcat or Rook is neither feasible nor timely,” Special Response Team Captain Dallas Greer said in the news release. “This Adair County critical incident is just one of many examples where the armored Suburban has been utilized to quickly and safely rescue officers and evacuate civilians while a suspect is actively trying to harm them.”
Several hours after the stand-off began, Sneed came out of the home armed with a gun, and members of the response team shot him, state police previously said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
After Sneed was killed, officers investigated the inside of the home and found Michael Curry, 37, fatally shot. State police previously said Curry was an acquaintance of Sneed’s.
While Sneed was barricaded inside the home, officers learned of threats made by Sneed to kill his family. State police said detectives conducted welfare checks at homes on Lakeview Drive and Henson Road in Adair County and found Sneed’s mother, 67-year-old Joyce Sneed, and Sneed’s aunt, 63-year-old Debra Clark, dead.
No officers were hurt during the incident. State police’s critical incident response team is still investigating.
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