A grand jury has chosen not to indict the father of two students from Kentucky State University who faced murder charges following a campus shooting that resulted in one student’s death and another’s severe injury.
Scott Danks, the defense attorney for Jacob Lee Bard, revealed on Facebook that the grand jury opted against indicting his client for the shooting incident on December 9. Bard has since been released from jail. His legal team has consistently argued that Bard acted in self-defense when he fired at two individuals who were allegedly assaulting his son, amidst a crowd of 20 to 30 people threatening the family.
“GRAND JURY FINDS JACOB ACTED IN SELF DEFENSE AND REFUSES TO INDICT,” Danks proclaimed in his post. “He’s out of jail and the case is over!”
On December 9, 2025, numerous agencies responded to the shooting at Kentucky State University, as reported by WDRB.
According to court documents reviewed by WDKY-TV, Bard’s bail, set at $100,000, was posted at around 9:20 a.m. on December 23. The news outlet further reported that the case against Bard has been dismissed and his bond will be returned.
Bard’s legal representatives explained that his family, accompanied by two armed campus police officers, was in the process of moving his younger son out of the university when the altercation took place. They also mentioned that the family decided to withdraw their sons from the institution following a series of “multiple armed, violent” episodes involving them and other students in the days leading up to the incident.
Jacob Lee Bard, 48, was formally charged with murder and first-degree assault in the fatal shooting at Kentucky State University on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. Bard, of Evansville, Indiana, is the parent of another student at the school. (Franklin County Regional Jail; @Collins_Wx via Storyful)
When the family and an officer reached the dormitory entrance, a group of people in masks and hoods proceeded to rush out and begin violently attacking the family and others, attorneys said. During the attack, the assailants beat the son’s head against the pavement.
Violent threats against one of Bard’s sons allegedly began after he reported a burglary in his dorm room to campus police. Attorneys say that he is in an undisclosed location due to continued death threats.
Law enforcement responds to a shooting at Whitney Moore Young Jr. Hall on Kentucky State University’s campus in Frankfort, Kentucky, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Hannah Brown/The State Journal via AP, File)
Kentucky State University told The Associated Press that the grand jury decision “does not lessen the pain our community continues to feel, nor does it change our priorities.”
“Our commitment remains centered on supporting our students and ensuring Kentucky State University is a safe place to learn, live, and work,” the university added.
