Paducah police sergeant dies after responding to fatal shooting

On Thursday, the police department announced that 32-year-old Sgt. Ryan Hudson had died.

“The Paducah Police Department shares, with deep sadness, the unexpected passing of Sergeant Ryan Hudson. His absence will be profoundly felt both within our department and throughout the community he faithfully served,” the department said on Facebook.

At a news conference on Friday, the department said Hudson joined the Paducah Police Department in February 2015 and worked with them for 10 years.

Paducah Police Chief Brian Laird said Hudson’s death was in the line of duty after he became ill after working a shooting incident, which left a pregnant woman and unborn child dead and injured two others.

Laird said Hudson had an underlying cardiac condition, which was triggered by the stress of responding to the critical shooting incident. Because of this, Laird said Hudson’s death was classified as a line-of-duty death.

The Paducah Police Department has an employee support fund that helps employees and their families. Laird said an account has been set up for the Hudson family.

Laird also announced funeral services for Hudson. The visitation will be on Friday, Aug. 22, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Paducah-Tilghman High School. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23, at Heartland Church. Doors open at 10 a.m., with the funeral service at 11 a.m. The entombment will follow at Maplelawn Park Cemetery in Paducah.