Tragic Incident at Birthday Party leaves 4 Dead and 3 Injured in Kentucky: Authorities Say

A joyous 21st birthday celebration took a devastating turn when an unexpected visitor unleashed a hail of gunfire, resulting in the heartbreaking loss of four lives and leaving three others wounded, according to authorities in Kentucky.

Multiple individuals contacted the Florence police in the early hours of Saturday morning to report an ongoing situation involving a shooter at a residence on Ridgecrest Drive.

During a press conference, Chief Jeff Mallery informed reporters that shots were still being fired when they arrived at the scene.

According to Mallory, officers discovered two victims on the front lawn and an additional five inside the residence. Four of the victims were pronounced dead on the scene, while three others were quickly transported to a nearby Cincinnati hospital by paramedics.

Witnesses at the scene provided officers with information about the shooter’s identity and a description of his vehicle. After Garvey fled from a traffic stop, a responding officer spotted the car and initiated a chase, according to Mallery.

The pursuit came to a dramatic halt at Dale Heimbrock Way near Hicks Pike, as Garvey veered off the road and collided with a ditch. Garvey was discovered by the police with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Ambulance crews rushed him to a medical facility, where physicians declared him deceased.

Mallery stated that the three individuals who survived are anticipated to fully recover. The deceased victims have been identified as Shane Miller and Hayden Rybicki, both 20 years old, along with Delaney Eary, 19, and Melissa Parrett, 44. Mallory mentioned that the party was held in honor of Parrett’s son. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, although Mallory mentioned that Garvey had not received an invitation to the party.

Mallory displayed strong emotions during the press conference, expressing his sympathy for the families of the victims and the officers who were involved in the incident.

“We’ve never dealt with this before,” he said. “I know it’s going around the nation but this is the first time that we’ve had a mass shooting in Florence.”

Neighbors, including individuals who had attended the gathering earlier, were left in a state of shock.

“We were sitting on the driveway chatting, making memories, then I decided to go home around 12:30. I live right there,” Leah Moore said. “If I would’ve probably stayed a little longer, I probably would’ve been involved in this tragedy.”

According to Law and Crime, Garvey has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2021.

He reportedly drove to the girl’s home after connecting with her on Snapchat. According to reports, the victim expressed her unwillingness to engage in any sexual activities, but Garvey disregarded her wishes and forcibly engaged in sexual acts with her.

According to records from the Kentucky Department of Corrections, he admitted guilt to unlawful transaction with a minor and received a five-year probation sentence from a judge.