One person was killed and four others, including two children, were wounded in a mass shooting at an outdoor concert in Kentucky on Saturday evening.

Gunfire broke out in downtown Lexington, slightly more than a mile from the Hyatt Regency, where Gov. Beshear was speaking at the Kentucky Democratic Party’s Moving Forward Together dinner, FOX56 reported.

“Before I continue, I do need to let y’all know we do have some tough news tonight,” Beshear said.

“About a mile and a half from here, we’ve had a shooting actually since we started this dinner,” he continued.

“We have five people that I think received injuries and probably have one deceased," Beshear added.

Police investigate Kentucky park shooting as victims are hospitalized

The shooting occurred at about 6:45 pm in Charles Young Park. Several victims, including two adults, a 14-year-old and a 4-year-old, were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

A spokesperson for the Lexington Police Department told the Daily Mail that the investigation remained underway at about 10 pm local time.

“No further details are available at this time,” the department said.

“If you know somebody who might be inclined to use a weapon, please do anything you can do to let us know before something happens. Please let us know,” Chief Weathers said at a press conference.

Multiple people wounded at Virginia State University

The shooting at Charles Young Park came after three other shootings were reported Saturday in Michigan, Virginia, and Chicago.

Multiple people were wounded in a shooting at Virginia State University (VSU) on Saturday morning, police said, while several suspects remained at large.

The university, located about 20 miles (32km) south of Richmond, was temporarily placed under lockdown as police provided their initial account of the incident.

“A shooting occurred in the area of the Quad Annexes involving multiple victims, who were transported to area hospitals,” the VSU police department said in a statement.

Virginia State shooting wounds five as police search for suspects

VSU said the shooting involved “multiple suspects”. Chesterfield county police, which has jurisdiction over the university, said officers arriving at the scene found five people with gunshot wounds outside campus dormitories.

The five victims were taken to hospitals, according to county police. One person initially reported to have life-threatening injuries was later upgraded to critical condition, while the remaining victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

A VSU statement confirmed that at least one of those wounded was a student.

Police told WTVR that officers were called to the university dormitories at 1:30 am.

The aftermath of the shooting

A significant law enforcement presence remained on campus Saturday morning. Police said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the sheriff’s office in neighboring Hanover County were assisting with the response.

After the lockdown ended, VSU said authorities did not believe the school community faced an immediate threat.

“We recognize the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community,” the statement said. “The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”

The Virginia State University shooting occurred shortly before the beginning of the academic year. According to the university’s website, residence halls opened to students a week ago, while classes are scheduled to start Monday.

'Very tragic' event 

Many students had recently taken part in the university’s “New Trojans Experience” for incoming students, an event referencing the nickname of the school’s athletic teams.

The public university has about 5,700 students, most of them undergraduates.

VSU has expanded in recent years while seeking to strengthen safety measures and preserve its historic character, according to Arthur Fridrich, the university’s former director of distance education, who lives near campus and visits regularly.

For the VSU community, the shooting occurring as students return for classes was devastating, he said.

“To start a new year with this event is very tragic. It casts a shadow in the minds of all students,” he said.

Six dead, including suspect, in Michigan killings

Five people were killed and a suspect died Friday in Michigan as authorities carried out an extensive search involving two homes and a wooded area, police said.

Michigan State Police said officers were responding to reports of a shooting at a home in Missaukee County, about 169 miles northwest of Detroit, shortly before noon, when they found three people dead and another person critically wounded. The injured person was taken to a hospital.

Police identified the suspect as Chad Hickman, 39, who had left the home before law enforcement arrived.

As law enforcement conducted a large-scale search for Hickman, they later found his vehicle in a wooded area near Whitlock Lake, which led them to his body, as well as another individual, who was also dead, according to police.

A 'heartbreaking' situation 

Authorities initially described the incident as a shooting but have not disclosed how each person died or whether the victims were connected to one another.

“This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved,” Lt. Ashley Miller said in a statement. “We remain committed to conducting a thorough investigation and will provide updates as new information becomes available.”

Police are investigating the shooting and have asked the public to stay away from the area.

The names and ages of those killed will not be released until their families have been notified, police said.

Nearly 300 mass shootings reported this year

Nearly 300 mass shootings had been reported across the US by Saturday morning, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The nonpartisan resource defines mass shootings as incidents in which at least four people are wounded or killed.

The US has consistently recorded high numbers of mass shootings, with a significant share occurring at schools, universities, or related activities. The figures have fueled calls for stronger federal gun control measures, although Congress has not enacted such restrictions over the years.

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