Police arrest ‘armed and dangerous’ man hours after fatal shooting in Central Kentucky
An “armed and dangerous” man accused of a fatal shooting in Central Kentucky has been arrested, according to the Berea Police Department.
Thomas Rison, 42, of Berea, was shot and killed Monday on Baldwin Street in Berea. He was identified Tuesday by Carlos Coyle, with the Madison County Coroner’s Office.
A report of shots fired came in around 8:20 p.m., according to Barry Manley with Berea police. While officers were en route, the 911 caller said a vehicle had fled the scene.
Rison was shot in the chest, Manley said. He died at a hospital.
Police on Monday identified Steven Gerlaugh, 75, as a suspect. A witness identified Gerlaugh as the shooter, and the entire incident was captured on camera, according to Manley.
Surveilance footage showed Gerlaugh sitting inside his vehicle and Rison standing next to the driver’s side front window, according to his arrest warrant. A muzzle flash was then seen, followed by Rison retreating from the car, toward the house, before collapsing.
Gerlaugh was considered armed and dangerous, and police encouraged people to not approach him.
Gerlaugh was found and arrested later Monday, police said. Manley said a Garrard County sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on Gerlaugh’s vehicle and he was brought into custody.
Madison County Detention Center records show Gerlaugh as an active inmate and charged with murder. His bond is set at $200,000.
This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 9:25 AM.
