LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The publisher of a Kentucky newspaper says they’re going to carry on after several windows at the paper’s main office were shattered Sunday morning.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports its publisher Rufus M. Friday finds the incident concerning "especially given the level of rhetoric directed at journalists recently in the United States and in Kentucky."
“We’re going to be vigilant and continue to do what we do,” Friday told the Herald-Leader. “We’re not going to be deterred by this senseless act of vandalism.”
Windows shattered at Herald-Leader building; suspected bullet damage foundhttps://t.co/DLgQQsGitT
— heraldleader (@heraldleader) May 30, 2017
Exterior windows on the first, second and third floors were damaged at the building along Lexington’s Midland Avenue. Police said the damage seems to be from small-caliber gunfire and that they are investigating the incident as criminal mischief.
No employees were injured.
Scary: Windows shattered at Herald-Leader building; suspected bullet damage found https://t.co/O5y1Snrpex @heraldleader pic.twitter.com/y9J6yLovY8
— Peter Baniak (@pbaniak) May 29, 2017
Editor Peter Baniak told Huffington Post that he doesn’t want to assume a motive for Sunday’s crime. However, he added “it is difficult not to be concerned given some of the rhetoric.”
Republican Cngressional candidate Greg Gianforte was accused of assaulting a journalist just hours before winning a special election on May 25 in Montana.
Two days earlier, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin verbally lashed out at journalists, comparing those his office has ignored to irritating insects.
"They will beg to differ and that's their prerogative, but it is our option to disregard people that don't take their responsibility seriously in our estimation," Bevin said. "There's only a handful of them. They make a lot of noise. They're like cicadas."
