{**Brandon died on Saturday morning and we are praying for grace for his wife and family.}
This is so crazy but a guy I know from "back in the day" {our families went to church for years and years and I also photographed his wedding to his lovely wife Heidi} was shot last week. The details are still hazy, but he was shot and is now in critical condition at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville.
His wife just gave birth to their third son a few days ago and you can read updates on his battle for life here.
Here is the story from the Bowling Green Daily News.
A man who inspires kids to be active in the arts is fighting for his life at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being shot Tuesday by an off-duty Warren County Sheriff’s Office court security officer in a parking lot on U.S. 31-W By-Pass.
Brandon Bradshaw, 27, of Bowling Green, a former Warren County constable, was shot by off-duty Warren County Sheriff’s Office court security officer Thomas Brown, who, according to witness Dan Hartung of Nashville, fired three shots at Bradshaw while Bradshaw was in a white Ford pickup truck in the parking lot
of Michelle’s Consignment Boutique, 1135 U.S. 31-W By-Pass.
The two men appeared to be in a heated argument and Brown identified himself as a law enforcement officer, flashing a badge at Bradshaw, Hartung said.
Kentucky State Police, which investigates law enforcement officer-involved shootings, has not released details about what occurred before the shooting.
“(The shooter) was kind of holding the gun pointing toward the door then he looked down for a minute, and then he started flashing his badge,” said witness Jeremy E. Harris, who works across the street at First Step Prosthetics, at 1136 U.S. 31-W By-Pass.
“The other guy was lifeless,” Jeremy said about the shooting victim later identified as Bradshaw.
Bradshaw, a theater and music lover and the father of three young children – his youngest, Connor, was born just days ago – is passionate about engaging kids in theater at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, where he works as youth theater educator.
“Brandon is the heart and joy of the education department,” said Andee Rudloff, SKyPAC director of education and visual arts. “There is not a child in youth theater in this region who does not look up to Brandon and appreciate everything that he does.”
Traffic in the 1100 block of the bypass and surrounding areas was rerouted for several hours while state police investigated the scene. Onlookers surrounded the area that was blocked off with yellow crime-scene tape.
Brown, who was driving his personal vehicle, a blue GMC pickup truck, at the time of the shooting, has been placed on paid administrative leave until further notice, said Warren County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Tommy Smith. Brown’s wife was inside the truck with him at the time of the incident.
“It’s our policy that if we have any type of officer-involved shooting, we request that the Kentucky State Police do the investigation,” Smith said.
Brown has been employed by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office since July 2011, and he previously worked for the sheriff’s office from Oct. 1, 2010, to March 2011, according to Warren County Sheriff’s Office records. He provides court security at the Warren County Justice Center.
Bradshaw was taken by ambulance to The Medical Center and was later airlifted to Vanderbilt, where he was listed in critical condition Tuesday night, said Trooper Jonathan Biven, spokesman for KSP Post 3.
According to a Facebook post from Bradshaw’s father, Troy Bradshaw, Brandon Bradshaw remains unresponsive and has seizures when doctors attempt to wake him. There are no definite explanations for why he remains unresponsive, but family members remain hopeful.
Brandon Bradshaw was shot three times, once in the ear and neck and twice in his arm, according to the Facebook post.
His major organs and spine were not struck by bullets, Troy Bradshaw wrote.
“We’re shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic event that has occurred,” said Laura Holderfield, director of development and communications at SKyPAC, who works with Bradshaw.
The state police investigation into the shooting will be turned over to the Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for review, according to a statement from Warren County Sheriff Jerry “Peanuts” Gaines.
Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron declined to discuss the incident.