FLORENCE, Ky. — Questions loom over the justice system following a tragic mass shooting in Florence, which left four people dead and three others wounded at a 21st birthday party in the early hours of Saturday. The gunman, identified as 21-year-old Chase Garvey, died by suicide after the rampage.
Florence authorities reported that the shooter targeted the birthday gathering shortly before 3 a.m. The violence claimed the lives of 19-year-old Delaney Eary, Hayden Rybicki, 20, Melissa Parrett, 44, and Shane Miller, also 20. Meanwhile, the three additional victims are now reportedly in stable condition.
Rob Sanders, Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney, expressed frustration and explained the legal backdrop that allowed Garvey, a convicted felon still under probation, to be free. Garvey had a troubling past, having been arrested in August 2021 for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, a crime initiated after contact on social media.
Before this incident, Garvey had no prior criminal record. Despite the severity of the 2021 charges, including rape and sodomy, the case was settled without a trial. The resolution came after the victim’s mother expressed concerns about the impact of a public trial on her daughter, leading to Garvey pleading to a lesser charge of unlawful transaction with a minor.
This plea, while still branding Garvey as a felon, fell short of incarcerating him, instead resulting in five years of probation. Sanders highlighted the decision’s tragic consequences, noting, “Whatever gun he had in Florence to kill four people and wound three others is a gun that he should have never had.”
Sanders also detailed that Garvey had previously breached his probation with a minor traffic violation in Boone County, where he was caught performing dangerous driving maneuvers. Despite this, a tougher sentence was not enforced. “We sought to revoke his sentence,” Sanders commented, “but the judge ordered him to serve just 30 days in county jail.”
The legal outcomes have stirred controversy and reflection within the community and the justice system, given that Garvey potentially could have been released from prison by now, even if convicted on the original charges due to parole eligibility rules.
This event has escalated concerns about the effectiveness of probation and monitoring of convicted felons, especially those with histories suggesting potential violent behavior. The local authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting as the community mourns the loss of four citizens in yet another act of senseless violence.