Reporter Discovers Kentucky School Shooter Was Her Son

A reporter who rushed to cover the Tuesday shooting at Marshall County, Kentucky high school learned that the suspected gunman was her own son after arriving at the scene.

The editor of the Marshall County Daily Online, Mary Garrison Minyard, is the mother of 15-year-old Gabe Parker, the alleged gunman, her colleague, Ann Beckett, told the Louisville Courier Journal.

Parker is accused of shooting 21 people. Two 15-year-old classmates, Bailey Holt and Preston Cope, were killed. Bailey's mother, Secret Holt, said her daughter called her just before her death, and reports she heard "chaos in the background."

Preston's parents told the Courier-Journal they rushed to the school to have one final moment with their son. His father, Brian Cope, said his son died during the flight to the hospital.

"There's so many obstacles that could have prevented me from getting there. I could've been in a wreck, I could've had a flat tire, anything," Cope said. "But I'm firm in my faith that God guided us safely through all of that to get us there, so we could speak to our baby and just let him know we loved him."

The suspect appeared in court Thursday, reports the Courier Journal. He is being charged with two counts of murder and 12 counts of first-degree murder. Authorities did not name Parker as the suspect publicly, because he is facing the charges in juvenile court. Kentucky law seals juvenile court cases.

The hearing happened at the Marshall County Judicial Center, just five miles from the scene of the shooting in Benton.

According to the Daily Online, Marshall County Assistant Attorney Jason Darnall said Thursday that the suspect is still in custody. Prosecutors are asking that the suspect be tried as an adult and the case by transferred to Marshall County Circuit Court.

"To the staff, teachers and administration of Marshall County High School, we commend you for your heroic actions in the face of these events", Darnall said. "By all accounts, you did your jobs exactly as trained to get kids to safety and to reunite families."

Classes at the high school resumed on Friday. Three students are still hospitalized, but in stable condition, reports the Daily Online.

According to the New York Times, the Benton shooting was the 11th school shooting in the U.S. in the first 23 days of 2018.

Photo credit: Instagram/ Gabe Parker