In the small community of Tompkinsville, Kentucky, the life of a young man was tragically cut short. Cole Garrett Harlan, a 19-year-old male, passed away on Sunday, February 1, 2015. At the time of his death, he was a student at Western Kentucky University and a cherished member of the Tompkinsville Church of Christ.
On that fateful Sunday afternoon, just before 4 p.m., emergency services received a call about a man with a gunshot wound being transported to the Monroe County Medical
Center. That man was identified as Cole Harlan. His condition was severe, prompting a transfer by ambulance towards the Vanderbilt University Medical Center for more advanced care.
The journey to Vanderbilt was a race against time, but sadly, one that could not be won. As his condition rapidly deteriorated during the transport, the ambulance was forced to divert to the Macon County General Hospital in Lafayette, Tennessee. It was there that Cole Garrett Harlan was pronounced dead. The Kentucky State Police conducted an investigation into the death. According to their statements, no foul play was suspected in the incident. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed in Tennessee to determine the official cause of death. News of his passing left his family and the close-knit community to grapple with the sudden and profound loss of a young life.
