Kentucky State Police Investigates Trooper-Involved Shooting in Harrison County

CYNTHIANA, Ky. (June 9, 2025) – The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) has been requested by KSP Post 6 Dry Ridge to investigate a trooper-involved shooting that occurred June 8, just before 11:00 p.m. ET. CIRT detectives arrived on the scene and began an investigation into the incident.

The preliminary investigation indicates KSP was requested to respond to a disturbance at a residence west of Cynthiana on KY-36, where Mr. Ramon Morales, 50-year-old male from Cynthiana, was unlawfully refusing to leave. Before a trooper arrived, Mr. Morales left the scene in a white Chevrolet van. Shortly after, it was reported that a vehicle matching the description of Mr. Morales’ had crashed into another car on KY-36 and was leaving the scene of that collision. Later that evening, a KSP trooper located Mr. Morales standing on the shoulder of the roadway in front of the residence of the earlier disturbance complaint. During the interaction with Mr. Morales, the trooper discharged his agency-issued firearm, striking Mr. Morales, resulting in life-threatening injuries. The trooper provided life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Mr. Morales was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. No officers were injured during the incident, and the investigation 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 have been gathered. Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case.

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