Police in Paducah responded to an active shooter at the Best Western Hotel near Exit 11 along I-24 Saturday morning, with a woman killed and a suspect arrested.
The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office says at approximately 9:48 a.m., Paducah 911 received multiple calls regarding a possible active shooter at the hotel.
A McCracken County Deputy arrived in less than two minutes and began searching the hotel for the gunman. The deputy located a female victim on the first floor of the hotel.
Meanwhile, a Paducah police officer located a possible suspect outside the hotel and detained him in the parking lot. The female, an employee of the hotel, had multiple gunshot wounds to her head and body and she later died from her injuries.
Investigation determined the suspect, 55-year old Robert Pannell of Palm Coast, Florida, had allegedly assaulted a male and female in the parking lot of the hotel after the couple could not give Pannell a cigarette lighter. Pannell then allegedly went inside the hotel with a handgun in his hand and walked down a hallway, shooting the female victim, before shooting additional rounds indiscriminately.
At some point, Pannell threw his handgun inside the lobby of the hotel. Police say Pannell was a guest at the hotel, but so far it is undetermined what led to his actions.
At this time, it is unknown why Pannell was in Paducah, according to police.
Pannell is charged with murder, wanton endangerment and two counts of assault.