Background: Law enforcement vehicles park on the Kentucky State University campus after a shooting occurs on Dec. 9, 2025 (WBIR/YouTube). Inset left: Jacob Bard (Franklin County Regional Jail). Inset right: De”Jon Fox (GoFundMe).
A Kentucky father is facing serious charges after allegedly shooting and killing a college student at his son’s university. This tragic event unfolded while he was there to assist his son with moving out over safety concerns.
Jacob Bard, 48, has been charged with murder and first-degree assault, according to authorities. Bard has entered a plea of not guilty to these accusations.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of December 9 at Kentucky State University in Frankfort. Bard’s visit was prompted by a desire to ensure his son’s safety, as reported by the Frankfort Police Department.
Bard’s son had previously been attacked on campus, prompting Bard and his wife to report the incident to the university’s office of student affairs. This information was presented by Bard’s attorney during a court hearing on Tuesday, as reported by the Lexington Herald-Leader. Campus police then accompanied the family to their son’s dorm room to assist with his move-out.
Attorney Mark Hall, representing Bard, stated that the family was “essentially attacked.” Security footage and a video shared on social media depicted people fleeing, including an individual wielding a baseball bat, before Bard discharged his weapon outside the residence hall. Two students were hit, with 19-year-old De’Jon Fox succumbing to his injuries.
The other student involved was hospitalized in critical condition but was reported to be stable as of Tuesday.
Bard was arrested and placed in the Franklin County Regional Jail. While his bond was initially set at $1 million, it was reduced to $100,000 on Tuesday.
It is unclear what led up to the alleged attack on Bard’s son and why a confrontation occurred just before the shooting. However, Frankfort police detective Laura Marco said there was “bad blood” between Bard’s son and a group of students.
“One [assault] has been stated to me multiple times, one specific instance,” she said, per local CBS affiliate WKYT. “There were other attempted incidents where he was not assaulted.”
Bard’s lawyer said his client was acting in self-defense. “Mr. Bard went to Kentucky State University with a purpose and that purpose was to remove his children from an unsafe environment,” Hall said.
The defendant had two sons who went to the school, with both of them on the baseball team, the Evansville Courier & Press reported. While a GoFundMe raised nearly $26,000 for Bard following his arrest, it was taken down because of the company’s policy against “fundraisers for the legal defense of someone charged with a violent crime.”
A GoFundMe was also posted for Fox — with this one not removed. It says his family and everyone who loved him were “devastated” by his death. It goes on: “His parents are now facing the kind of heartbreak no parent should ever have to endure, especially two weeks before Christmas — planning a funeral for their child and navigating a future without them.”
