Good morning, Kentucky, and it is six oh five here Kentucky and his morning news with Coffee and Company on News Radio eight forty whas. You can listen live at WHS dot com or check us out on the iHeartRadio app. So, just a tragic story yesterday that took place right here in our home state, and of course it's become national news. You've got an officer involved shooting, and then a shooting that took place at a church while service was going on,
and of course led to two women being killed. So we will find out who the victim is, I would imagine soon. I know yesterday the chief of police in Lexington mentioned that the name of the suspect, well, I guess, say victim, I mean he's I guess he's dead. But obviously the victims here are the ones who lost their lives. And of course there's an officer who was shot that is still being treated from the shooting that took place.
So here's what happened.
Around eleven thirty yesterday morning, a Kentucky State trooper pulled over a suspect near the Bluegrass Airport and I don't know how long it took within that traffic stop for that that person to pull out a gun, but that's what happened and opened fire on the officer and then fled the scene, only to then carjack a vehicle near where the the where he was pulled over, And it sounds like that was fortunately not of I mean the traffic.
I'm sorry the carjacking didn't lead anybody getting getting injured. But after stealing the vehicle, he then made his way to a church it was at the Richmond Road Baptist Church there in Lexington and killed two people, injured others and then he was killed by by law enforcement who showed up.
So just an awful situation.
All the way around, and we don't know the motive or Again, the identity of this person and the condition of the injured trooper hasn't been officially updated, although it doesn't I don't know if it's life threatening or not, but I haven't haven't heard that. It just hasn't been
much of an update on that situation. So the identity of this person, if you're somebody that is active on the social media platforms, you've probably seen someone sharing I guess who people assume or maybe people know that that's who this was it's just not been confirmed by law enforcement. But it's one of those things that if that's not the case, meaning if this picture of this person and this person's name who has been and I'm not I'm
not touching it. I'm not going to mention it without them confirming it, because it would be a terrible thing to do, if you know, for people to assume that. But long story short, I believe this is who it is because I don't think it would be out there publicly, out there publicly by so many people if in fact
this wasn't the person who did this. And I would think if I was said person and I knew that the entire internet was running with the report that is unofficial that I was the person responsible for this, I would want to defend myself. So I'm assuming that's who it is. But it's just a reminder that people quickly find out what's I mean. And and look, there's probably
people in that community. And this is what stands out to me is that the prescom mari Chester and Lexington made it clear that there is a connection to this individual and that church. I think I saw that the church itself is not very large, and in fact, there are a lot of people that attend that church regularly are related in some way, or they're basically related without being officially related meeting.
They're all big family, and.
The connection, I don't know what it is, but again they referenced that yesterday in the press conference that they believe that there's some level of connection between this suspect and I guess that church specifically, but I'm sure we'll find out a little bit more later on. But again,
it's a national story. You've got two people showing up for church on a Sunday morning and being killed, and of course law enforcement officers showing up to do his job and pulling somebody over near the airport and somebody opens fire on him. So again, we'll get you updated as best we can throughout the morning, as far as
any other information that does become available. All right, So the other big story here in Kentucky yesterday ended up being good news, I suppose because of there was nobody injured. And I don't know, I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to find a comfortable footing here when it comes
to certain stories that are bad. It's not good that this happened yesterday, but silver lining is that it wasn't it wasn't legit, and there was not really a me I guess there was clearly a threat, but officers responded
and did what they were supposed to do. After you had the report of an active shooter and an active aggressor at both Kentucky Kingdom and also at the Run for the Roses basketball tournament that was taking place at the Fairgrounds, and that led to the tournament shutting down early, and of course just a chaotic situation and really just I mean, look, I know this may sound dramatic, but if you for even a moment, you are in that fear, you know, helpless panic mode because you think, okay, wow,
is this really happening?
Am I at a place?
That becomes the next place where somebody shows up with the gun and does something unthinkable.
So I've been in that situation.
In fact, I was in a situation where somebody did have a gun and kill somebody, And you know, you feel lucky that you were able to come away unharmed, and I'm sure these people feel lucky knowing that despite that scare, that there really wasn't there wasn't a threat, There wasn't an active aggressor and it was a false alarm. But just going having that experience where you are fearful in that way isn't just nothing. I mean, that's something that will stick with you, and certain people can deal
with it better than others. But you know, there's nobody's fault. I mean, I guess if there is anybody at fault, it might be I mean. And again, if in fact this was like a prank call, I feel like we would know that by now, but maybe I'm wrong. But again, it's good news that there wasn't a tragic situation, especially
when you consider what took place in Lexington. But I just hate that this event had such a sour ending on Sunday, and it's led to some teams and some college basketball coaches that were here to recruit at this event decide to just go ahead and leave. And we'll talk a little bit about that on the other on the other side, as far as why they chose to just go ahead and end their experience here at this tournament. And also, I don't know if people realize what this
tournament does for the economy. I've got some numbers that they kind of give you the economic impact of that many people come into Louisville for a basketball tournament. So we'll get into a lot of that in more, but first let's get an update on traffic with Bobby Ellison, and also we'll get another look at Matt Melosovich's forecast from wk WY.
It's Kentucky.
It's Morning News with Coffee and Company on News Radio eight forty whas. So, we know of at least one hundred and thirty people that lost their life last weekend in the flooding that took place in the Guadalupe River in Texas, and there's now more than one hundred and seventy people missing from that situation that took place fourth of July, and they've had to stop the search temporarily because there's more heavy rains come in that way. So again,
just a tragic situation all the way around. Again, the death total is now up to one hundred and thirty two and there's more than one hundred and seventy people missing. And when you think about it this the officials have said that the river during the initial flood event, it jumped twenty six feet in forty five minutes, and of course that leads to you having homes swept away, roadways swept away, if you can even imagine, and of course that the cabins at that camp mist it where twenty
seven campers and counselors were killed. So just a tragic situation. And as they still tried to account for those that are missing, which of course at this point, I don't think they're expecting anybody to be found alive. Just that's something you want, you want to I mean, I mean, it's almost uncomfortable to even talk about it in anyway, but you would think that those that are involved in that that know they've got a loved one that is missing.
I mean, you want closure. I mean I don't. I don't know.
I can't put myself and I would never want to put myself in that situation. But just knowing that you have to wait until more rain gets out of the way, it's just just tragic all the way around.
All Right.
It is six nineteen here at Kentucky and his Morning News with Coffee and Company on news Radio eight forty whas. So I looked into it just because I was curious. I will admit I knew of the run for the Roses girls basketball tournament. That's taken place in Louisville for many, many years, but I didn't realize just how big of
an event that it actually was. So when you look at the real economic events that what I mean by that is those that really provide a big economic boost to our businesses around here.
This is one of them.
I mean again, over forty thousand people were on hand yesterday when, of course the situation unfolded where there was belief that there was an active aggressor somewhere.
But I mean forty thousand people. That's a lot of people.
You're talking about athletes, coaches, families attending from all across the United States and really the world. And in twenty twenty five, the tournament is estimated to inject forty five point six million into the local economy. And that's because again they're visiting hotels, restaurants, just different attractions, local vendors. And this has been going on again since two thousand and nine. It started with twenty nine teams and now
it's much bigger than that. But other events obviously that bring a lot of money because of the amount of people that come here and give our businesses business. No doubt, the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks. I mean that's far and away.
I mean it looks.
Yeah, four hundred and two million is the estimated impact that you get with the Kentucky Derby and Oaks and Thunder of Louisville is included in the Kentucky Derby Festival event. Therefore, the amount of money that is estimated to come in from that is tied into to Derby and just everything
that comes with the Kentucky Derby season around here. But then other than that, as far as just they don't have it listed here as far as what the estimated impact is and in regards to the economy, but Bourbon and Beyond and Lotter than Life, those are huge and John, you could tell me and I may be wrong here,
Bourbon and Beyond, it's still a big big ticket. And obviously having Zach Bryan last year at the time they had and made it to where I mean that that was a big big ticket to get, not that it ever isn't, but he he came I feel like at a time where maybe he was more popular than he's ever been. But Lotterer than Life. There's not as many festivals quite like Louder than Life out there right.
Like yeah, especially in the United States. I mean they've there's been more over the last couple of years, but yet outside of Louder than Life and then one down in Florida and a couple in Ohio, you don't have a lot in the United States.
And that's what I could tell when I went to both of them, just that is there's a difference in just you could tell there are people from across the world there and look Burn and Beyond's great. I don't want to act like anybody can put that event on, but there are a lot of festivals. In fact, there's
seemingly more and more every year that are like that. Right, Maybe not as big, maybe not as as many big time names, but it seems like the Lotder than Life festival is there's not as much competition, and even if even if there is, that's there doesn't sound like they're doing as well as Louder than Life has always done. So again, we need these events to take place, and I just hate that what happened yesterday. I hope it
doesn't impact the future of that event. I don't anticipate that it will, but I just hate knowing people might have come to Louisville and really enjoyed their enjoyed their experience with all that we have to offer, and then unfortunately what happened yesterday, that's probably going to be what just sticks on their mind about the experience, which again it's a bummer.
All right, let's get a quick break. We'll get a check of traffic and weather.
Also, Scott Fitztrod's got another update on sports right here on news radio eight forty whas. Thank you very much, John. It is Kentucky and is Morning News with Nick Coffee
here on news Radio eight forty whas. For those who missed the show Friday, I've realized that our sales team, when they are selling this show, which I thank them for doing that, it's being referenced as Coffee and Company, which we didn't have any We didn't have, We didn't have consistency as far as what the show is always going to be Kentucky and His Morning News, which it is. But my show from my previous life in sports was
Coffee and Company, and they're they're rolling with that. So if you hear me reference Coffee and Company, and you don't, and you don't, you didn't know that was the name of my old show and you're thinking, what the hell is Scott talking about? There's your explanation. So again, it is Kentucky. It is Morning News with Coffee and Company. I'm Nick Coffee, and I've got the company with me, the crew, the company man himself, mister John Aldens alongside,
and of course Scott Fitzgerald and John Shannon. So I just wanted to reset that for those who might have missed it. I did let John know before the show started today because had I not given you a heads up, you would have thought I just forgot that I switched.
I switched stations, right, That's right. It would have thrown me off for a loop, yep. And so I just wanted to make sure everybody is aware, all right.
So when it comes to the run for the Roses basketball tournament that's going to resume today after being shut down early yesterday, there are some teams that pulled out. I believe one of the programs Missouri Phenom. They're a part of the Nike circuit, and they withdrew from the event. And this is something that a lot of people probably
don't think about. But if you take a second and kind of realize, maybe what yesterday's experience could have been like for everybody involved, it makes sense to go ahead and just in the event for you as a team and pull out and head back home because of the you know, just the mental component of what went on
you yesterday. There were also some some college coaches that were there recruiting that released some messages on social media claiming that they they're going to go ahead and wrap it up for the day, and I know one of them cited they just refused to normalize the experience, which again that's another because I'll be honest with you, if if without any explanation, I just hear, well, the team's just decided they don't want to come back, or a coach says, yeah, I'm out of here, I would I
would probably be on the defense. I would probably think, well, okay, you know now, let's let's let's just give it some thought. Because yes, there was a scary situation all the way around. But clearly, the those that needed to respond to to a threat like that, even though it wasn't legitimate, seems as if they did everything as best they could and everything turned out okay, And again I would I would
want them to stick around. But again, I also understand it from that aspect as well, just because again, if you've never been through a situation like that, I don't want to say that you wouldn't understand because maybe you do, maybe you think, oh wow, those people are so brave. I would have been probably more terrified than them, But
I just don't. I mean, again, when you there's a there's a level of helplessness and fear that at least for me and my experience is just like something I've never experienced before in my life, because I mean it's
just a it's a it's a level of panic. And certainly you could see yesterday some of the social media videos that made their way to Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram that show just I mean, we're talking about forty thousand people on hand at the at the fairgrounds there for this basketball tournament, and you've got law enforcement showing up in waves, of course, to try to address the situation because they believe there's an active aggressor so just not knowing.
I mean again, there were some there were some players, some children, I mean, that's that's what we're talking about here, that were interviewed by Woky yesterday that mentioned they were on the court, so they just took off running and they didn't know exactly where their pair. I mean, it's just it's chaos, and chaos is never good, especially whenever when you know, when you got a situation going on
like that. So I mean, I would have understood had they decided to not even move forward with the tournament. I'm glad they are, but yeah, just a bummer yesterday because again I learned throughout the weekend before this took place just how big this event is for for our economy and as a as a lifelong lou Pavilion, I love to hear when people come to the city of Louisville and they end up really enjoying themselves and take in all the great stuff that we have to offer.
But unfortunately, things like this make it to where even if the experience was great, and they certainly would agnowe and they even if they acknowledge that, the lasting memory is probably going to be what took place with this threat of an active aggressor, which again that's that's unfortunate to.
Say the least.
In fact, this is what I'll do occasionally, and I'm not recommending that you guys waste your time doing this because maybe you would think, like, what a loser.
Why would he do that?
But just this will put in perspective sort of how much I enjoy seeing people enjoy our city. And that is like if you go to Instagram or TikTok and you search Louisville, you can and then see anybody who has tagged the location of Louisville in in their post, and you can go to recent meeting. You can just see the most recent posts, and some of them are
people who live here. But then you also can tell just by looking at the thumbnail of the post or just looking at looking at it initially that it's somebody who is showing off that they're they're somewhere that they may have never been, like, you know, maybe their tourists come into Louisville, and you know, I just like to to t ag in nerd out on that kind of stuff and see what it is they like about us, what they what they what they did that they wanted
to show everybody that follows them on social media that they experienced in Louisville. So you know, I I and the reason I there isn't the reason this came to mind to me this week was because I knew of this basketball tournament, I just didn't realize how how many, how many people it brought into Louisville, and how big of a deal it was. And I think seeing so many people out and about really made me realize how
big it is. And also you have the ISCO Championship going on, so a big weekend in sports certainly, and Mother Nature for the most part, I feel like she cooperated. I mean, wasn't great on Saturday at the golf tournament, and as Scott mentioned, there was some storms coming through at the soccer game, but all in all that didn't last too long and ended up being a good weekend.
All right, let's let's get a quick update on traffic and weather, and we'll we'll talk about Trump's recent comments in regards to the Epstein files, claiming that nobody cares, which I feel like he's he's off there but maybe you don't care, but certainly a lot of people do care, but he doesn't seem to think so, or what he doesn't want you to care. And then also the accusation that the Epstein files were created by Barack Obama, which again nothing surprises me when it comes to any anything
that comes from him. But anyways, we'll get to that in more. It is Kentucky and his Morning News with Coffee and Company right here on news Radio eight forty WHAS. It is six forty seven here at Kentucky and It's Morning News, Coffee and Company. News Radio eight forty WHS. Take us with you wherever you go. Listen live at WHAS dot com. You can also listen live on the iHeartRadio app. So what a weekend it was for President Trump. This isn't the only thing that you take from President
Trump over the weekend. Again, when you're the president of the United States, you're a very busy guy, and he's everywhere. But his comments did I think ignite at least some backlash from even his own supporters. And I'm sure there are some that did care about the Epstein files and the investigation and just how that was handled last week, but now don't because he said that people shouldn't care.
But I'm sure there's others that say, wait a second, we want transparency, we want to know, and certainly the way this is played out with the Epstein investigation, I mean, I don't know how you would keep up with it even a little bit and not be able to tell that there's clearly an attempt to withhold information, which of course other people would say that and just say a cover up. But on his platform Truth Social he urged his followers to stop focusing on the Epstein case, saying
nobody cares about Epstein and calling it a distraction. And again there were some conservative supporters that didn't seem to agree at all, especially after last week. Again Pam Bondi, who once claimed she had the Epstein files on her desk, then said that no such list exists. I'm curious if there wasn't that comment about having the files on the desk in a way of you know, letting people know we got you. Be nervous, be ready because we're coming
for you. If you were somebody that was involved in this this stuff, we're going to get you, only to then say, well, no such list exists.
So and then he went a step further.
Trump did suggesting that Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton were the ones who created the Epstein files to hurt him politically, which again there's no support of that evidence at all. And now we've got a Daily Mail report which again, daily Mail reports. I usually have some caution when it comes to those as far as just I mean, is that legit is that real? And they do have some scoops and they've breaking some stories over the years that you wouldn't to come from the Daily Mail.
But nonetheless they were reporting that just Slaine Maxwell, her legal team, is wanting to talk and willing to testify before Congress and tell her story from this entire situation she of course was involved with with Epstein and really
the other big player outside of Epstein himself. So there's been no confirmation from Congress or Maxwell's legals team or any major news outlet, but again the Daily Mail is reporting it, and despite what they are as an outlet, I mean, I don't think that that's completely made up.
But again, what do I know.
I'm having a tough time here and there really knowing what's real and what is not. But this is where I had a moment when it comes to just Trump's saying that nobody cares, because that's either him just being completely unaware of not being able to read the room that people do care, or he's just using his ability, his talent if you will, that he knows just by saying nobody cares, We'll then lead to people who did
care no longer caring because he said nobody cares. I mean, and I'm not even you know again, this isn't even an anti Trump thing. It's just I think he knows that he has a way of of doing what he does. And there's there's a segment of his supporters. It's stuff to know how many that really it doesn't matter what he does, it doesn't matter what he says. It's just that's just that's what. That's who they're going to ride with. It's like something I've never seen before. Anyways, Let's get
an update on traffic and weather. We'll get Matt Melosovich to give us the latest on this Monday forecast. Bobby Ellis will tell us how traffic is here this morning in Kentucky and Andy get the week started. And then Scott Fitzgerald with another update on sports, coming your way all right here on News Radio eight forty whas