Teen pleads guilty to 2018 Kentucky school shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A teen charged in the 2018 Kentucky school shooting that killed two students has pleaded guilty to murder.

Gabriel Ross Parker was 15 when he fired a handgun into a crowd of students before classes started at Marshall County High School on Jan. 23, 2018. Parker was arrested at the school and charged with murder. He later was charged as an adult.

Marshall County Commonwealth's Attorney Dennis Foust said the plea deal gives Parker a life sentence. Along with the murder convictions, he also pleaded guilty to 14 counts of assault.

Parker, now 18, appeared by teleconference on Tuesday before Marshall Circuit Judge James Jameson.

Foust said the coronavirus pandemic played a role in moving toward a plea agreement for Parker. The trial was scheduled to open June 1.

Foust, the lead prosecutor in the case, said the trial would likely have been pushed back to January at the earliest, and because of restrictions, he was having trouble lining up witnesses and medical experts.

'œSo at that point at some people are saying maybe it's time to get some closure,'ť Foust said by phone Tuesday.

Killed in the shootings were Bailey Holt and Preston Cope, both 15. Foust spoke with Holt and Cope's parents about the plea deal before moving forward.

'œIt just made more sense to do this,'ť Foust said. Parker would be eligible for parole in 2038, he said.

WPSD-TV in Paducah first reported the plea agreement on Tuesday. Parker will be sentenced by a judge on June 12.