Suspect Fatally Wounded After Chase, Exchange of Gunshots at Benton

A 38-year-old Bowling Green, Kentucky man was shot and killed south of Benton after stopping a vehicle he is accused of hijacking and shooting at police who were pursuing him. The victim is identified as Joshua Moreno. The van that was hijacked belonged to Salem Tire Center.

During a Tuesday night press conference, Lt. Michael Alvey of State Police indicated the series of incidents began at 3:03 Tuesday afternoon when the sheriff's department received a 911 call of a residential burglary in progress. Police were told the suspect had left the home with multiple firearms. A chase began three minutes later.

Moreno is accused of hitting a deputy's vehicle and fired multiple shots at police. After Moreno's vehicle became disabled on I-57, he is accused of committing an armed hijacking and continued to flee from police in that vehicle. Police continued to pursue Moreno through the Benton area.

When he reached the skating rink on Route 37 south of Benton, Moreno allegedly stopped and exited his vehicle and fired additional shots at officers. Alvey said officers from multiple agencies had joined the pusuit and returned fire, fatally striking the suspect.

Moreno was pronounced dead on the scene by the Franklin County Coroner.

Police did not address details of the vehicle hijacking in the press statement and did not answer questions because the investigation is ongoing by State Police and the Franklin County Sheriff's Department.

Alvey called the loss of life in this incident tragic and said their sympathies are with the family and the Benton community. He says there were no known injuries to anyone in the community or to any of the officers involved in the pursuit.