“We still have a long way to go”: Lexington homicide numbers trending downward from 2022

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- Lexington police continue to investigate a murder case over the weekend. One person died and another injured on Winchester Road early Sunday morning.

One business owner who works in the area of the recent homicide, but declined to go on camera, says she’s frustrated following this weekends homicide. She says the crime in the area needs to be cleaned up.

Lexington police say they were called to the 900-block of Winchester Road around 4 0’clock Sunday morning for someone who had been shot. When officers arrived, they found a man who the coroner has now identified as 26-year-old Malik Sleet. Sleet was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say another man who had been shot was checked into the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Sleet’s death marks the city’s 15th homicide of the year. Looking at police data from 2022, the city had 30 homicides by this time. ONE Lexington Director Devine Carama says he’s encouraged by the progress made this year but the trend still isn’t something to celebrate.

“Obviously there’s still families out there who’ve been affected by gun violence. We know that we still have a long way to go. But I think the progress is definitely encouraging and something our community partners should feel good about,” says Carama.

Carama credits the initiatives and community based efforts of ONE Lexington and other partners for the decrease in homicides this year.

“We’re doing a lot of good things. We’re operating in a model called pier, which stands for prevention, intervention, enforcement and reentry,” says Carama.

Carama couldn’t speak on this particular incident but says the organization has been in contact with sleet’s family helping offer support for their needs.

So far, eight of the 15 homicide cases from 2023 are still open, including this weekends shooting death. Police providing an update to ABC 36, saying the investigation into the homicide and shooting is still ongoing and they have no additional information to release.

Detectives with the personal crimes section are handling the investigation. Police are asking anyone with information about this homicide to call police.