By Dan Zimmerman Shooting News Weekly
On December 9, Jacob Bard shot two students during an altercation outside a dorm at Kentucky State University. One was seriously injured, and the second, 19-year-old DeJon Fox, Jr., died. Bard was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. A grand jury, however, apparently determined that the shooting was a case of self-defense and refused to indict him.
Bard’s attorneys claim that the situation at KSU was out of control . . .
Not only was Jacob Bard completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force that day, but Jacob also took every reasonable step to alert Kentucky State University and the Kentucky State University Police Department of the imminent danger his sons and other students were in. Kentucky State University and the Kentucky State University Police Department failed to address multiple armed, violent felonies against Jacob’s sons and other students in the days leading up to December 9, 2025. Jacob Bard and his wife, along with their sons, decided that the only course of action was to withdraw from the university for the son’s safety and requested a police escort to remove their son’s property due to the imminent threat of danger they faced.
The armed campus cops did little or nothing to keep the situation from escalating when Bard attempted to remove his son from the campus.
Despite having two armed Kentucky State University Police Officers present, a group of twenty to thirty individuals gathered in the lobby of the son’s dormitory to violently and viciously attack Jacob Bard’s son and family. Many of these individuals were not students of the university and wore ski masks, hoods, and otherwise concealed their faces. Watching the mob gather, Jacob Bard armed himself with his wife’s firearm.
The mob apparently attacked them as they left the dorm to the point that Bard felt compelled to defend his son ballistically. The evidence presented to the grand jury was evidently persuasive enough that the shooting was judged to be a case of justified self-defense.
That, however, didn’t sit well with Fox’s parents, DeJon Fox, Sr., and Chardnae Cleveland. They issued online threats against Bard and were arrested, charged with felony intimidation . . .
A probable cause affidavit filed in Vanderburgh County showed Fox allegedly made graphic threats against Bard on social media under a screen name of “Capo Fatman Fox.” One post that was still online on Friday said in part, “YOU DONTKNOW WHAT U TOOK FROM ME BUT YOU WILL FEEL THE SAME HURT I FEEL.”
In court records, police quoted a public post from Cleveland that said in part, “I want his son dead just like mine.”
Another post from Cleveland that police said had been deleted was quoted in the affidavit as saying, “Might drive to Evansville today to see some vicelords!” Police noted in the document that the statement was concerning because the Vice Lords are a prominent criminal street gang known for violence and organized crime.
If what the attorneys described in their press release is even close to what actually took place that day, there are serious problems at Kentucky State University, not the least of which is the fact that two armed campus cops failed to control what seems to have been a violent situation and didn’t protect Bard and his family.
In the meantime, Fox’s parents will now be fighting their own legal battle while they mourn their dead son. And Jacob Bard can consider himself fortunate that he had the means to protect himself and his family since two useless campus cops clearly weren’t up to the job.
Find this article on Shooting News Weekly.
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