The wounded included a 4-year-old and a 14-year-old after gunfire erupted during East End Day at Charles Young Park.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — One person was killed and four others were injured Saturday evening in a shooting at Charles Young Park in Lexington, prompting a large police response and an emergency call-up of officers across the city.
Lexington police said the shooting happened shortly before 7 p.m. Aug. 15 in the 200 block of Midland Avenue. The four surviving victims included a 4-year-old child, a 14-year-old and two adults. Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said all four were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The shooting occurred while Charles Young Park was hosting East End Day, a community event in Lexington’s East End neighborhood. Authorities had not announced whether the shooting was connected to the event itself or what led to the gunfire. Police had not publicly identified the person who was killed as of late Saturday.
WKYT reported that Lexington officials activated an emergency mobilization plan at 7:24 p.m., declaring a police staffing emergency. All officers assigned to the department’s third shift were instructed to report for duty as officers secured the area and began investigating the shooting.
Weathers said investigators did not have a known suspect Saturday night. Police also had not released a description of anyone they were seeking or said whether one or more people may have fired shots. Details about the number of shots fired and the circumstances immediately before the shooting had not been released.
The shooting drew a heavy law enforcement presence to the park as investigators worked through the evening. Images from the scene showed police vehicles surrounding the area while officers restricted access. Authorities did not immediately announce any arrests.
First District Council Member Tyler Morton had posted video from Charles Young Park earlier Saturday promoting East End Day. The event was underway before the shooting occurred. Officials had not released additional information about how many people were in the park when the gunfire began.
The Lexington Police Department maintains public records of shootings and homicides under investigation, but the Charles Young Park case had not yet appeared in the city’s online shooting or homicide listings when those pages were reviewed late Saturday. Police said the investigation remained active.
Authorities had not released the name or age of the person who died, and no motive had been announced. Police also had not said whether investigators believed the shooting was targeted or whether the victims knew the person responsible.
Police continued investigating late Saturday as they worked to determine who fired the shots and what led to the violence. Additional information about the victims, possible suspects and the circumstances surrounding the shooting was expected to be released if confirmed by investigators.