Terry Gray
MOUNT OLIVET — New information regarding the arrest of Robertson County Sheriff Terry Gray has surfaced, shining a new light on what occurred on school grounds last week.
Information released through cell phone footage and school security footage from Robertson County School includes what appears to be several acts of aggression between Gray, School Resource Officer Kenny Brockman and Superintendent Sanford Holbrook.
In the school’s security footage, there is approximately 31 minutes and 51 seconds of video where Gray is in camera. There are some moments where Holbrook and Brockman walk out of camera view, but Gray often appears to continue conversing with one or both of them.
Within the first few minutes of the security footage, a white pickup truck pulls onto the school campus from the main road and parks beside school bus number 2013. After parking, Gray steps out of the vehicle wearing his uniform.
Soon after exiting the vehicle, Gray begins to walk around the school bus perimeter. He appeared to be looking at the bus from different angles. According to Holbrook, Gray later told him that he was on campus for traffic control purposes.
Brockman then walks out of the school building and into camera view to approach Gray as he attempts to enter his vehicle. The two begin to talk when their conversation appears to escalate to an argument.
In the footage, Gray and Brockman are making hand gestures toward each other when Gray begins to communicate over his portable radio device.
The timestamp at this point in the video (2 p.m.) matches the time that Kentucky State Police received a call from Brockman stating he smelled alcohol on Gray. Gray’s alcohol level was later measured at .206. The legal alcohol limit is .08 percent, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Communications from Gray’s portable radio in the footage have not yet been released.
For the next several moments, Gray and Brockman take various steps toward and away from each other. The two are shifting to different areas the school’s parking lot before they continue to shake their hands at one another. Gray’s communications over his portable radio continue as he begins to approach someone out of camera view.
The person was likely Holbrook, who walked into camera view a few moments later.
As Holbrook joins the conversation, Gray begins to motion toward his truck and the school bus he was parked beside. He then begins to gesture toward Holbrook. For the next several minutes, the three of them continue to have a discussion before Brockman walks out of camera view.
Toward the end of the video, Gray appears to leave the conversation with Holbrook and Brockman and return to his truck. Gray enters the vehicle and sits in the parking lot for several minutes before pulling onto the main road.
When Gray pulls onto the main road, he quickly pulls onto the shoulder and stations himself for a few more minutes. The security footage shows Gray getting back on the main road and heading to an unknown destination.
In cell phone footage, there is approximately five minutes and 45 seconds worth of video that shows a disagreement between Gray, Brockman, and Holbrook.
Within the first few seconds of the footage, Gray walks toward Brockman and appears to point his portable radio in Brockman’s face. Brockman then appears to push Gray’s hand out of his face and begins to point in Gray’s face.
Holbrook appears to step in between Brockman and Gray for a moment. Gray starts to communicate on his portable radio.
After he releases the radio’s microphone, Gray starts to wave his handcuffs toward Brockman before motioning toward his truck and the school bus he was parked beside.
Communication between Holbrook, Gray, and Brockman continues for a few more minutes before the three of them walk out of camera view.
Holbrook and Brockman made comments regarding Gray’s presence and condition on campus.
“The actions of Robertson County Sheriff during our interaction were not only unsettling, but they have also caused me an unbelievable amount of emotional stress and personal concern,” Holbrook remarked. “The whole time my thoughts was just doing what I could do to secure the safety of our students and staff.”
Brockman added on to Holbrook’s remarks.
“It was very stressful (the interaction with Gray),” he said. “We’re trained to keep any kind of threats outside the building. He obviously was a threat at the time. If you notice on the videos and stuff, his hand never left his gun. So I mean, it was very stressful, him being belligerent.”
He continued, “We take the safety of the kids high priority. That’s what we’re trained for as SRO’s. As far as what happened to him, with him, that was scary. I mean, in reality, it was kind of sketchy. I mean, being a law enforcement officer and beyond, a threat like that is different compared to most other individuals.”
Holbrook explained the school’s protocol when a situation like this occurs. The protocol allows school officials to do anything possible to keep students and staff safe.
A school grounds monitor observes the situation from inside the building to determine if the building needs to go on lockdown.
No audio was available for cell phone footage or the school’s security footage. Communications on Gray’s portable radio have not yet been released.
The investigation remains ongoing by KSP Lieutenant Brent Sparks. More information will be released as it becomes available.
