State police investigate BGPD police-involved shooting incident
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Kentucky State Police are investigating a Sunday morning police-involved shooting in Bowling Green.
Jospeh D. Compton, 37, of Rockfield, was shot in the shoulder and was later charged with attempted murder of a police officer, according to his arrest citation.
A Bowling Green Police Department officer responded Sunday morning to the 500 block of West 10th Avenue on a theft/trespassing complaint.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with two people suspected in the theft.
Compton entered the driver’s side of a silver Ford passenger car. An officer demanded the car stop and instead the car accelerated in reverse and struck a tree before changing directions and barreling down on BGPD officers, according to Compton’s arrest citation.
One of the officers’ body cam footage shows the car coming directly at the officer, according to the citation. An officer fired his weapon at the vehicle.
At about 12:30 p.m. Compton sought treatment for his wound at TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital.
The person who drove Compton to the hospital told Kentucky State Police that Compton told him he had been shot by police because he tried to run over a police officer, according to his citation.
BGPD requested Kentucky State Police to investigate the shooting.
At the scene, marked vehicles from both agencies were parked as troopers scoured the area looking for evidence.
The names of the BGPD officers involved in the shooting have not yet been released.
Compton is also charged with first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer.
It is standard for state police to investigate BGPD officer-involved shootings.
