Grand jury declines to indict Jacob Lee Bard in Kentucky State University shooting
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A grand jury has declined to indict the father of two Kentucky State University students accused of murder after a shooting on campus that left one student dead and another seriously injured.
Defense attorney Scott Danks announced on Facebook that the grand jury decided not to indict his client, Jacob Lee Bard, in the Dec. 9 shooting and that he was released from prison. Bard’s lawyers have long argued that he was justified in shooting the two men who beat his son, given that 20 to 30 people had gathered to attack the family.
“THE GRAND JURY FINDED THAT JACOB ACTED IN HIS OWN DEFENSE AND REFUSED TO PLEAD,” Danks wrote. “He’s out of prison and the case is over!”
PARENT OF A KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SHOOTING SUSPECT CHARGED WITH MURDER
Officials from multiple institutions responded to the shooting at Kentucky State University on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. (WDRB)
Court records were reviewed WDKY-TV It shows Bard’s $100,000 bail was posted at approximately 9:20 a.m. on December 23. The publication added that the case against Bard is now closed and his bail will be reinstated.
According to their attorney, Bard’s family, accompanied by two armed campus police officers, was carrying their young son outside when the incident occurred. He also noted that the family decided to pull their two sons out of school after “numerous armed, violent” incidents against them and other students in the days before Dec. 9.
Jacob Lee Bard, 48, has been formally charged with murder and first-degree assault in the fatal shooting at Kentucky State University on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. Bard, from Evansville, Indiana, is the parent of another student at the school. (Franklin County Regional Jail; @Collins_Wx via Storyful)
One Student Killed in a Brawl at a North Carolina High School When the Sheriff Asked for a Community Prayer
When the family and an officer reached the entrance of the dormitory, a group of masked and hooded men came out and began violently attacking the family and others, the attorneys said. During the attack, the attackers hit his son’s head on the pavement.
The violent threats against one of Bard’s sons allegedly began after he reported a burglary in his dorm room to campus police. Lawyers say he is at an undisclosed location due to ongoing death threats.
Law enforcement officers arrested Whitney Moore Young Jr. on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at Kentucky State University’s campus in Frankfort, Kentucky. He responded to a shooting in Hall. (Hannah Brown/The State Journal via AP, File)
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
Kentucky State University told Associated Press It said the grand jury decision “does not alleviate the pain our community continues to feel or change our priorities.”
“Our commitment remains focused on supporting our students and ensuring Kentucky State University is a safe place to learn, live and work,” the university added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
