Man accused of murdering police officers, K-9 pleads not guilty
FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) – The man accused of killing three police officers, a police K-9, and injuring four other officers during a violent ambush at his home in Allen, Kentucky, pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon.
Lance Storz, 49, of Allen, is named in a 20-count indictment. Storz is facing three counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault, seven counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree assault on a service animal, fourth-degree assault, and fourth offense domestic violence.
Judge Johnny Ray Harris says Storz will continue to be held on no bond and he cannot have any contact with the victims or their families.
He’ll be back in court for a pre-trial hearing on Feb. 19.
Seth Ousley, brother of one of the victim’s, Officer Jacob Chaffins, was in the courtroom Monday. He said it was a whirlwind of emotions seeing his alleged brother’s killer.
“The first of which was sadness, because I know I’m never going to get the chance to see my brother again. The second of which was rage, pure rage, and the third of which was gratitude,” Ousley said. “That might sound a little strange but I’m very grateful to know that that man has no chance of getting out, has no chance of hurting anyone else and has no no chance of taking anyone else family away from them.”
Sitting in court, Ousley said it’s hard to even hear Storz’s name and he’ll never say it, but he said he needed to be there for his brother.
“This is a part of that journey of making sure that this can never happen again from that monster,” he said. “It still feels like today, it doesn’t even feel like yesterday. I don’t have good days and bad days. I have good hours and bad hours.”
No matter how deep the hurt, Ousley says he has to live every moment for Chaffins.
“It’s hard, but I know what Jacob would do because Jacob was a fighter and he never stopped ever,” Ousley said. “He was a public servant from the time he was old enough to make that decision. He taught me how to be a man’s man. He taught me how to live.”
He says the stories of what a hero his brother was, gives him the strength to continue on.
“That’s the stuff that lifts me up. That’s the stuff that helps ease the pain some to hear when people talk about the good things they did, and how they knew them in their life,” Ousley said.
Ousley says he’d find solace if Storz eventually gets a sentence of life without parole and is in favor of the prosecution pursuing the death penalty.
Floyd County Attorney Keith Bartley was also in the courtroom Monday. He says everyone needs to remember what happened June 30 and make the world a better place.
“Why can we not pay that back a bit and spend our lives helping people as well,” Bartley said.
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The deadly incident happened Thursday, June 30 along Main Street near the intersection of Railroad Street in Allen, Kentucky.
Days leading up to the shootout, Storz is accused of holding a woman hostage inside his home.
Law enforcement was attempting to serve an Emergency Protection Order and arrest Storz for fourth-degree physical assault when the first fatal shots rang out.
Deputy William Petry with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department, Capt. Ralph Frasure with the Prestonsburg Police Department and Prestonsburg Police Officer Jacob R. Chaffins all died in the barrage of gunfire that has been described by officials as a ‘war zone.’
Police K-9 Drago was also shot and killed during the shootout.
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All four heroes were laid to rest in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
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