US sheriff arrested after judge shot dead in Kentucky

WASHINGTON - A county sheriff was arrested Thursday after he allegedly shot and killed a district court judge in the southern US state of Kentucky.

Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines was taken into custody in connection with a shooting at the Letcher County courthouse, the Louisville Courier Journal newspaper reported.

Local television station WKYT reported Stines is accused of shooting judge Kevin Mullins in his office.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the shooting in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"Sadly, I have been informed that a district judge in Letcher County was shot and killed in his chambers this afternoon," Beshear said.

"There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow."

Earlier this month, a man shot and injured five people on a Kentucky highway. The gunman's body was found Wednesday after a 10-day manhunt.

Despite polls showing Americans favor more gun restrictions, a powerful gun rights lobby, constitutional protections and a passionate culture around firearm ownership mean that attempts to clamp down on gun rights are always met with stiff political resistance. — Agence France-Presse