andy beshear

Following 2018 Shooting, Kentucky School District Receives $620,000 Grant For Security Improvements

Marshall County High School, the site of a shooting that killed two students in 2018, has since received hundreds of thousands in grants for security systems and mental health therapists.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • April 14, 2020

A Kentucky high school that was the site of a fatal shooting in 2018 will receive more than $620,000 in grant money to install a security camera system and upgrade its facilities, according to state justice and public safety officials.

The Marshall County Board of Education received the funding from a federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant distributed through the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, The Louisville Courier Journal reported. The Jan. 23, 2018 shooting near Benton took the lives of two students and injured 18 others in the school, causing deep wounds within the close-knit community of just over 31,000 people.

“We will never forget the tragedy in Marshall County and we will continue to do everything we can to honor those we lost, support the community and protect our students and educators,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in an announcement on Thursday.

He added: “We are grateful the Marshall County Board of Education received this critically important grant. With these additional funds, the Board will be able to make the improvements necessary to further support the emotional, psychological and physical safety and security of each survivor, student and educator.”

Grant funding was also awarded to the 42nd Judicial Circuit Victim Advocacy Project, which will prosecute the alleged gunman who was a student at Marshall County High at the time of the shooting. The suspect has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial on murder and assault charges starting on June 1, according to the Courier Journal. (Defense attorneys and prosecutors say the trial will likely be delayed to coronavirus concerns, WKMS reported).

The school district has previously received grants to launch its “Marshall Strong Recovery Project” and hire mental health therapists at Marshall County High School, where the shooting took place. Cost-free counseling services have been available for students and staff since then, including telehealth sessions during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools across Kentucky will also receive a share of $18.2 million set aside for security improvements after the state legislature passed a school safety law in 2019 -- the result of advocacy efforts after the deadly shooting in Marshall County.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Door Hardware and Campus Security: Enhancing Safety in Schools

    The importance of investing in school safety cannot be overstated, but knowing where to start implementation of school safety features can be a challenge. A recent survey by the National Center on Education Statistics found that a quarter of U.S. public schools have classrooms with doors that can't be locked from the inside. Even among schools with doors that do lock, recent legislation reflects a common misconception that simply keeping the doors locked all day will eliminate the potential for an attack, in direct violation of PASS (Partner Alliance for Safer Schools) Guidelines. Read Now

  • Brigham Young University Strengthens Campus Security With Genetec Operations Center

    Genetec Inc, a provider of enterprise physical security software, announced that Brigham Young University's (BYU) has optimized its security operations with the Genetec™ Operations Center work management system. Read Now

  • AI-based Risk Mitigation: The Next Advancement in Video Surveillance and Public Safety

    Safety is at the forefront of every organization and covers a gamut of scenarios, not just weapon-fueled lethal threats. It also includes smaller-scale and everyday situations like slipping hazards, fallen persons, unauthorized vehicles, and more. These issues cause disruptions in daily operations and cost companies and facilities money and downtime, so a fully realized security plan must involve actions that facility personnel should take once a hazard of any size occurs. Informing everyone that a hazard exists, where it’s located, and what actions to take is imperative for maintaining personal safety. Read Now

  • Fort Worth ISD Strengthens Event Safety

    The issue of concealed weapons being introduced into school extracurricular activities, including sporting events and graduations, became a growing concern in communities across the nation. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were at least 202 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024 across the United States, resulting in 56 deaths and 147 injuries, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols. Read Now

Most   Popular