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Students return to Marshall Co. High School for first time since shooting

277 views · Published 1 February 2018 · 2:48 · Indexed 22 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

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BENTON, Ky. (WKRC) - Students at Marshall County High School returned to school for the first time Friday after a school shooting that killed two students and left more than a dozen injured.

The day started with an assembly for the students. The parents of Bailey Holt, the 15-year-old girl who was killed in the shooting, attended. Parents comforted them. 15-year-old Preston Cope was also killed.

"We are not only standing here for Bailey today, it's for the Cope family, and each other," said Jasen Holt, Bailey's father.

More than a dozen students were hurt in the rampage in the school's commons area when a 15-year-old boy fired a handgun. Gov. Matt Bevin returned to the school to declare Sunday a Day of Prayer for Marshall County. Gov. Bevin said Friday that school shootings are "a cultural problem."

"We can't celebrate death in video games, celebrate death in TV shows, celebrate death in movies, celebrate death in musical lyrics and remove any sense of morality and sense of higher authority and then expect things like this are not going to happen," Gov. Bevin said.

"The reason I wanted to come here is I wanted to encourage this community to do what it's doing. which is to pray," Gov. Bevin said.

Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton also attended the assembly and told the parents only God could answer why this happened.

"I don't know if there is anything that I can say that could truly help. It's going to be dark times but eventually, the laughter and joy will return," Lt. Gov. Hampton said.

There's been an outpouring of support for families in Marshall County. A store owner in Lexington has printed "Kentucky Strong" t-shirts in orange and blue - the high school's colors. So far, sales from the t-shirts have raised more than $40,000 for the families.

"Our state motto is 'United we stand, divided we fall' so we couldn't think of anything better than Kentucky Strong. We're unifying as a state behind these people," said Rick Paynter, owner of Shop Local Kentucky.

The show of unity is a comfort to the families who've lost too much.

"These sweet kids, it's not only ours, it's about all of them, just pray and take care of each and every one of them," Jasen Holt said.

Bailey Holt and Preston Cope's funerals will be held Sunday.

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