Teenager shot and killed in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- A community is mourning after a shooting that killed a teenager in Lexington.

Police say 18-year-old Tyler Williams died at the hospital overnight after a shooting near the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and East Fifth Street.

That shooting hit close to home for Anita Franklin, whose son was shot right across the street at Duncan Park 3 years ago.

“The kids will always relate that that young man was injured near a park. When people start describing it to me, that’s what they said. They used the landmark Duncan Park. It’s like, ‘Ah, here we go again. So, it’s troubling,” Franklin said.

According to Lexington Police, Williams was shot 3 times just before 11:30 Saturday night. He was taken to UK Medical Center where he later died.

“It saddens me, especially when it’s a teenager from our community that I’m familiar with, with him and his family, and so, you just kind of relive what you experienced with your own tragedy,” Franklin said.

Franklin says that this shooting is another example there is a gun violence problem in Lexington. She reminds people that the victims, like her son Antonio Franklin, Jr, are not the ones to blame.

“This young man, Trinity Gay, any other victim. I won’t go down the list because there’s just too many. They have a right to be where they are. Antonio absolutely had the right to be walking through this park. Those people who decided to use a weapon to take a life, that’s who we need to be holding accountable,” Franklin said.

Police are still searching for a suspect in Saturday night’s shooting. Franklin reminds people if you know anything, the best thing to do is speak up.

“I always say, ‘See something, say something,’ and now we have added, ‘Do something,'” Franklin said.