New mayor seeks update on high-profile London police shooting
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mayor Tracie Handley requested state police updates on Doug Harless shooting.
- Police served search warrant at wrong home, killing Harless on Dec. 23, 2024.
- Community unrest grew amid investigation delays and lack of information release.
Just days after taking office as acting mayor of London, Tracie Handley is asking police for answers about one of the city’s major mysteries.
Handley sent a letter Monday to Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip “PJ” Burnett Jr., asking for updates on the investigation into the fatal police shooting of Lily resident Doug Harless. Harless, 63, was shot and killed late by London police officers who were conducting a search warrant late Dec. 23, 2024, for stolen property at his home.
Officers mixed up house numbers in the rural area and served the warrant at the wrong home, according to police dispatch audio and an activity call log. Officers intended to go to a different house about 250 feet from where Harless lived.
In the letter to Burnett, Handley said the lack of updates from state police has fostered unrest in the community.
“The shooting death of Mr. Harless has created profound and lasting damage to the fabric of our community,” Handley wrote to Burnett. “Certain citizens of Laurel County live in fear and mistrust of law enforcement — emotions that grow stronger with each passing day that the questions from the shooting go unanswered.”
Handley specifically asked for an investigation timeline, including a realistic date of when the investigation could be completed, preliminary findings of the investigation and to release the search warrant and other non-sensitive documents from the investigation.
Handley requested a prompt response from Burnett.
Handley was appointed acting mayor of London on Friday after the city council impeached former Mayor Randall Weddle. Weddle was charged with 11 counts of misconduct or willful neglect, including misusing the city police department and its funds for personal protection detail, leaving vacant an ethics commission seat and illegally signing a mortgage for a property on behalf of the city without council approval.
Weddle has said he will appeal his removal.
Handley told the Herald-Leader one of her main priorities in her abbreviated term is to get answers about Harless’ death.
“We need for them to finish it and let us know what actually happened,” Handley said. “That has torn the community up, and I think we need to bring that to a culmination and find out exactly what the state police has found out.”
London police have released little information while state police investigate the shooting, sparking outrage among many community members and leading to a “Justice for Doug” rally in London. Handley wrote in the letter that local citizens have been afraid to call police, and non-residents have expressed concerns about visiting the area.
London police previously said the officer who shot Harless was placed on administrative leave. The officer’s name has not been released.
State police have jurisdiction to investigate all shootings involving law enforcement officers in Kentucky, and the completion of the investigations vary depending on the complexity of the case.
“The lack of any sort of update has fostered rumors, speculation and conspiracy theories that poison our civic discourse. Social media platforms are filled with conflicting accounts and anger directed not just at law enforcement, but at local government officials who are not able to provide answers,” Handley wrote. “This investigation’s length and lack of updates is tearing apart the social trust that holds our community together.”
Former Police Chief Jerry Hollon, who held the position when the shooting occurred, resigned in May. Assistant Police Chief Bobby Day, who has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, was named acting chief.
Day testified during Weddle’s impeachment hearing Friday and was asked by attorney Chris Weist if the police department’s standards and values were upheld during the Doug Harless incident.
Day said they were.
“I’m on record of saying 100%,” Day said.
This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 12:46 PM.
