On the afternoon of December 9, 2025, violence erupted on the campus of Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, resulting in the untimely death of De'Jon Darrell Fox Jr., a 19-year-old African American male student from Indianapolis. The incident took place around 3:10 p.m. near Whitney M. Young Jr. Hall, a dormitory on the university grounds.
Fox was critically wounded during a physical altercation and was subsequently transported to Frankfort Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:33 p.m. A second student, whose identity was withheld, was also shot during the confrontation and was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Law enforcement officers responded rapidly to the scene and detained 48-year-old Jacob Lee Bard of Evansville, Indiana. Bard was initially arrested and booked into the Franklin County Regional Jail on preliminary charges of murder and first-degree assault. The investigation revealed that Bard had traveled to the campus to extract his own sons from the university, citing concerns for their safety and alleged threats involving multiple armed individuals. According to defense statements and police reports, a confrontation ensued between Bard and a group of individuals while he was attempting to move his children out of their dorm, culminating in Bard discharging his weapon.
The legal proceedings following the shooting took a significant turn later in the month. A Franklin County grand jury convened to review the evidence against Bard, including witness testimony and the circumstances surrounding his presence on campus. On December 23, 2025, the grand jury declined to indict Bard, returning a "no true bill" on the charges of murder and assault. The judicial body accepted the defense that Bard had acted in self-defense and the defense of others during the altercation. Consequently, the charges against him were dismissed, and he was released from custody, a decision that sparked intense emotional reactions from the victim's family and community members.
In the wake of the grand jury's decision, the situation escalated further involving the family of the deceased. On December 25, 2025, authorities in Evansville, Indiana, arrested the victim's parents, 38-year-old De'Jon Darrell Fox Sr. and 37-year-old Chardnae Cleveland. They were taken into custody on charges of felony intimidation after allegedly posting threatening messages on social media directed at Jacob Bard. Police affidavits indicated that the posts contained specific threats of violence and retaliation, including references to gang affiliations and desires to harm Bard's family. While the shooter was cleared of criminal liability for the death of their son, the parents faced their own legal battles stemming from their grief-stricken and vengeful public outbursts.
