Back in May, a Bardstown, Kentucky police officer was gunned down on his way home from work. The officer, Jason Ellis, had stopped to move debris out of the road and was shot multiple times with a shotgun by someone who had apparently laid the debris as an ambush.

Police in the 12,000-population Bardstown began investigating whether Ellis was the specific target of the attack. They began soliciting tips from possible witnesses and started a donation fund for a reward for the capture of the killer. Now, threats are making it seem that police were the target of the ambush.

According to a Louisville Courier-Journal report, Bardstown police have now received threats against their lives. Chief Rick McCubbin stated he received a letter last week that stated more officers will “go down like the first one.” The precise wording of the letter is being kept secret, and a separate threat against police has been made by phone. Though police have stated they have not clues to determine who is making the threats, they are being treated seriously.

There are currently two funds set up in honor of Ellis. One, The Jason Ellis Memorial Fund, is for the family of the slain officer. The other, The Jason Ellis Reward Fund, was up to $125,000 as of Monday, to be given out for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the officer’s murder.

(Image courtesy the Bardstown Police Department)