BOONE COUNTY, Ky. – A routine warrant service erupted into a harrowing shootout and hours-long barricade situation Thursday night, leaving two Boone County Sheriff’s deputies wounded and the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The incident unfolded at a Service Road apartment just after 9:30 p.m. when deputies arrived to serve a warrant on 39-year-old Justin Chapman. According to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, the situation escalated dramatically around 10 p.m. as deputies entered the home. Without warning, authorities say Chapman opened fire, striking two deputies.
In the chaotic aftermath, one deputy was airlifted to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center by medical helicopter, while a second was rushed via ambulance to a local hospital. Both were listed in stable condition following the shooting, a testament to their resilience and the swift emergency response.
As Chapman barricaded himself inside the apartment, the quiet neighborhood was transformed into a high-stakes crime scene. Recognizing the grave danger, law enforcement evacuated neighboring units and called in the SWAT team, surrounding the home in a tense standoff.
After an extensive operation, SWAT personnel eventually made entry into the apartment, where they discovered Chapman deceased from what investigators have determined was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The prolonged ordeal concluded with no further injuries to law enforcement or the public.
The shooting has cast a spotlight on the inherent dangers law enforcement officers face during what are often considered routine calls, and has sparked renewed conversation about the complex intersection of criminal justice and mental health crises.