Campus Alert Archive
HCTC

A Custody Exchange Turns Fatal: Three Killed in a College Parking Lot

KYshootingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On January 15, 2013, Dalton Stidham, 21, shot and killed three people during a custody exchange in the parking lot of Hazard Community and Technical College in eastern Kentucky. The victims were Caitlin Cornett, 20, the mother of Stidham's child; her uncle Jackie Cornett, 53; and her 12-year-old niece Taylor Cornett. The campus was placed on lockdown for over an hour as police secured two buildings.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
3
Injured
0
Institution
Hazard Community and Technical College
Community College · KY
~4,000 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction186 chars
HCTC ALERT: Shooting reported on campus. The campus is on lockdown. Seek shelter immediately and lock doors. Avoid the parking lot area. Wait for further instructions from campus police.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The shooting occurred at approximately 4:30 PM EST in the campus parking lot, 90 miles southeast of Lexington
Police searched both campus buildings to confirm there was no additional threat
The shooting was a domestic violence incident that happened to occur on college property, not an attack targeting the institution
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction174 chars
HCTC ALERT: The lockdown has been lifted. The suspect is in custody. Campus buildings have been cleared by police. The campus will be closed for the remainder of the evening.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The lockdown lasted over an hour while police searched both campus buildings
The incident occurred the day before President Obama's nationally televised announcement of proposed gun control measures following the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting
Context

Background

The Hazard Community and Technical College shooting on January 15, 2013, illustrates how campus emergency protocols can be triggered by violence that is not directed at the institution itself. The shooting was a domestic violence incident: Dalton Stidham shot three members of his child's mother's family during a custody exchange in the college parking lot. As WTVQ reported, the victims were Caitlin Cornett, 20; her uncle Jackie 'Doug' Cornett, 53; and her 12-year-old niece Taylor Cornett. Hazard Police Chief Minor Allen told media that the shooting stemmed from a dispute between Stidham and Caitlin Cornett over their child. The campus went on lockdown at approximately 4:30 PM EST while police secured the two campus buildings, a process that lasted over an hour. Inside Higher Ed noted the incident came during a period of heightened national attention to gun violence, occurring the day before President Obama's announcement of proposed gun control legislation following the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. Stidham pleaded guilty in 2014 and his conviction was upheld on appeal.
Analysis

Key Findings

The shooting was a domestic violence incident in the campus parking lot, not an attack on the institution, but it still triggered a full campus lockdown
The hour-long lockdown demonstrated how even non-targeted violence requires a complete emergency response from campus safety officials
The incident occurred at a rural community college in Appalachian Kentucky, a type of institution underrepresented in campus safety discussions
One of the three victims was a 12-year-old child, underscoring the human cost of domestic violence
Outcome
Stidham was arrested and later pleaded guilty in 2014. He was convicted of three murders and his conviction was upheld on appeal. Authorities stated the college was not specifically targeted; the parking lot was being used for the custody exchange.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    LPM News: 2 killed, 1 injured in Hazard Community & Technical College shooting
    lpm.org
  2. News
    NBC News: 2 killed, 1 injured in community college shooting in Kentucky
    nbcnews.com
  3. News
    WTVQ: 3 Shooting Victims, Hazard Community and Technical College on Lockdown
    wtvq.com
  4. News
    Hazard Herald: Triple murder conviction upheld
    hazard-herald.com
  5. Source
    Inside Higher Ed: 2 killed at Kentucky community college
    insidehighered.com
Tags
shootingdomestic-violencecommunity-collegeparking-lotlockdownrural-campuscustody-disputeappalachian-kentucky2013
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion