Authorities are investigating a tragic shooting that occurred on the morning of August 19, 2024, in the parking lot of the Hardin County Justice Center. The incident resulted in the deaths of 37-year-old Erica Riley and her mother, 71-year-old Janey Riley, both of whom were fatally shot by 46-year-old Christopher Elder, Erica Riley’s boyfriend, during what police describe as a domestic violence-related attack.
The shooting took place just before 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, as the victims were attending a court hearing connected to an Emergency Protection Order (EPO) that Erica Riley had filed against Elder.
The attack, believed to be targeted, shocked the community and prompted a rapid response from the Elizabethtown Police Department. Elder, fled the scene following the attack, leading authorities on a multi-county pursuit that ended in Christian County. There, Elder engaged in a 90-minute standoff with law enforcement in the parking lot of a church.
Despite efforts by negotiators to de-escalate the situation, Elder eventually turned his weapon on himself, inflicting a gunshot wound to the head. He was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Tennessee, where he later died from his injuries.
A third family member, who has not been publicly identified, was also injured in the shooting and remains in stable condition after undergoing surgery. The Elizabethtown Independent School District and Elizabethtown Community and Technical College went into a soft lockdown during the incident, which was lifted once police determined the threat had passed.
This tragic event highlights the emotional volatility often surrounding domestic violence cases and family court proceedings.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing to piece together the full circumstances leading up to the attack.
