Kentucky State Police Investigates Pursuit with Shots Fired in McCracken County

PADUCAH, Ky. (November 8, 2025) – The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) has been requested by the KSP Post 1, Mayfield, to investigate a pursuit with shots fired that occurred on Friday, Nov. 7, 2024, in McCracken County. 

The early stages of the investigation indicate that shortly after 8:00 p.m. CST, a Marshall County Sheriff’s Office deputy, while returning home from an event, observed a vehicle being operated in a reckless manner with a flat tire. The deputy attempted a traffic stop with the vehicle in the area of Hardmoney Road in Paducah. The vehicle, a 1995 Chevrolet pickup truck towing a camper, continued down Hardmoney Road and initiated a vehicle pursuit. While on traveling on Hardmoney Road, the camper disconnected from the truck and the vehicle continued fleeing from the Marshall County deputy.

Deputies from the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Paducah Police Department, responded and joined the pursuit, which traveled into the Lone Oak area, where the operator of the fleeing vehicle fired shots in the direction of officers. Officers then conducted a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver in an attempt to end the pursuit. The vehicle pursuit ultimately came to an end when the suspect’s vehicle left the roadway and struck a residence on Lone Oak Road. Following the collision, the operator of the vehicle was found to have suffered a gunshot wound, which at this time appears to have been self-inflicted.

The operator of the vehicle was identified as Robert Wray, 26-year-old male of Kevil, Ky. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. No other injuries were reported as a result of this incident. No law enforcement officers fired their weapons during this incident.

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing. KSP has statewide jurisdiction and investigates officer-involved shootings throughout the commonwealth as requested by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. KSP is committed to being transparent while ensuring the integrity of the investigation. To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, it is KSP’s standard operating procedure not to release specific details until vital witnesses have been interviewed and pertinent facts gathered. Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case.

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