Man with local ties killed in officer-involved shooting
Cody Downey
Staff Report
Funeral services were held last week for a man with local ties who was killed in an alleged officer-involved shooting in a nearby county.
A report by Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 7 Public Affairs Officer Justin Kearney said the KSP Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) has been requested by Post 7 Richmond to investigate an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, around 9:40 p.m. EST in Boyle County.
The preliminary investigation indicates the Danville Police Department received a call about an armed, suicidal subject at an apartment complex located at Centre Estates Drive in Danville, Trooper Kearny said.
When officers arrived, the individual, later identified as Cody Downey, 29, of Danville, allegedly charged officers with a knife, the report said.
“One officer fired his agency issued weapon, striking Mr. Downey,” Kearney said.
Officers performed life-saving measures until EMS arrived and transported Mr. Downey to Ephraim McDowell Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased by the Boyle County Coroner’s Office.
No officers were injured during this incident.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
KSP has statewide jurisdiction and investigates officer-involved shootings throughout the commonwealth as requested by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, the report said and is committed to being transparent while ensuring the integrity of the investigation.
To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, it is KSP’s standard operating procedure not to release specific details until vital witnesses have been interviewed and pertinent facts gathered, Kearney said.
Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case, KSP said.
The official obituary for Downey lists his home as “Russell Springs” with parents, grandparents, a child, and siblings residing in Russell Springs.
Downey’s funeral was held this past Friday at Bernard Funeral Home, with interment in the Russell Springs City Cemetery.
