ONE Lexington releases statement regarding weekend violence, including 2 homicides
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW via LEX NEWS) – On Saturday morning, just hours after four shootings occurred over the course of seven hours, ONE Lexington released a statement regarding the ongoing violence this weekend, which included two fatalities.
ONE Lexington, a citywide initiative that aims to reduce gun violence, confirmed on Saturday that since the beginning of July, Lexington has witnessed 20 non-fatal shootings and four homicides.
The City of Lexington went over 190 days without a homicide, with a streak broken on Aug. 15 when 18-year-old Jametrius Griffin allegedly shot and killed 16-year-old Di’Zhon Robertson at Charles Young Park during East End Day.
According to the Lexington Police Department, four shootings took place between Friday night and Saturday morning, leaving two injured and two deceased.
The first shooting investigation began on Friday, Aug. 28 at 9:45 p.m. when a male victim entered a Lexington hospital suffering a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Second, around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, police responded to the 300 block of Redding Road for a subject down. When officers arrived on scene they located a male victim who was suffering a gunshot wound. He was transported to a Lexington hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
The third shooting investigation began around 3:25 a.m. Saturday when police responded to the 600 block of Ohio Street for a shooting report. Upon arrival, officers located a female victim suffering a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. She was later transported to a Lexington hospital for treatment.
The fourth shooting investigation began around 4:15 a.m. Saturday when Lexington police officers responded to the 100 block of Cross Keys road for a reported shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim suffering a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased on scene.
Individuals with information on any of the reported shootings are asked to contact the Lexington Police Department at (859) 258-2600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by phone at (859) 253-2020 or online at this link.
In his statement, Devine Carama, the director of ONE Lexington, encourages residents to contact the Lexington Crisis Response Coordinator for emotional assistance, which can be done at this link.
Read Carama’s full statement, which was posted on social media, below.
“Good morning, Lexington family. Unfortunately, we had another violent start to the weekend, with four reported shootings, two of which are fatal, all happening late last night and early this morning. After six-plus months of no homicides and record lows in shootings through the month of May, our city has now seen 20 nonfatal shootings and 4 homicides since the beginning of July. A stretch of violence that includes a mass shooting and the deaths of two teenagers (one juvenile, one adult). This doesn’t include those we’ve lost to suicide or accidental shootings, which are just as tragic.
“As director of ONE Lexington (in the mayor’s office), I first want to send prayers and thoughts out to all the families affected by this recent violent stretch in our city. As one of the leaders in this gun violence prevention space, I personally hold myself to not only stay on course but also to challenge myself to be better and to continue perfecting our strategy. As a team, we share the same hurt that you do. Mayor Linda Gorton, Lexington Police Department, Lexington Fire Department, E-911, University of Kentucky trauma nurses and doctors, Fayette County Public Schools staff, the faith community, and neighbors all feel the weight and the hurt that you do. But it’s imperative that, in these times, unity and love guide us as we move forward. It is impossible to root out darkness with darkness, so we must collectively continue to be the LIGHT our community needs during this difficult time. Our team is already reaching out to families impacted by this weekend’s events and is devising intervention, potential mediation, and crisis response strategies.”
– Devine Carama, director of ONE Lexington
