Kentucky State Police Investigates Trooper-Involved Shooting in Gallatin County

Case is under investigation

WARSAW, Ky. (March 27, 2025) – The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) has been requested by KSP Post 5 Campbellsburg to investigate a trooper-involved shooting that occurred on March 27, at approximately 4:45 a.m. ET. CIRT detectives arrived on the scene and began an investigation into the incident.

The preliminary investigation indicates KSP was requested to assist the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office at a mobile home park where an armed male individual was outside his residence firing shots into the air. To ensure the safety of all involved, law enforcement evacuated residents of the mobile home park. The individual, identified as James E. Walter, a 54-year-old male from Warsaw, Ky., continued to fire his weapon inside his residence and verbally threatened to shoot law enforcement. KSP Post 5 personnel attempted to de-escalate the situation utilizing negotiation techniques. The KSP Special Response Team (SRT) arrived, and negotiations continued with Mr. Walters. At approximately 4:45 a.m., Mr. Walter opened the door to his residence and presented his firearm. Members of the KSP SRT engaged Mr. Walter, and he received fatal injuries. No other injuries were reported.

KSP has statewide jurisdiction and investigates officer-involved shootings throughout the commonwealth as requested by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. KSP is committed to being transparent while ensuring the integrity of the investigation. To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, it is KSP’s standard operating procedure not to release specific details until vital witnesses have been interviewed and pertinent facts have been gathered. Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case.