18-year-old charged in Lexington park shooting that killed teen, wounded 4 others
An 18-year-old has been arrested in connection with the deadly shooting at a Lexington, Kentucky park that left a teenager dead and four other people wounded, authorities said Friday.
Jametrius M. Griffin is charged with murder, assault and tampering with evidence in the Aug. 15 shooting at Charles Young Park, according to the Lexington Police Department. It was not immediately clear whether Griffin had hired an attorney, and attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
Police responded to reports of gunfire at the park shortly before 7 p.m. ET, during what officials described as summer festivities. The victims included a 4-year-old, a 14-year-old and two adults, all of whom were taken to area hospitals. A fifth victim, 16-year-old Di'Zhon Robertson, died from a gunshot wound, the Fayette County Coroner's Office confirmed.
Under USA TODAY's definition, a mass shooting is any incident in which at least four people are struck by gunfire, regardless of whether a fatality occurs.
The shooting has shaken Lexington, where city leaders and anti-violence advocates were already on edge. Several city council members and officials with One Lexington, a community group focused on reducing gun violence, were at the park at the time of the attack.
In a statement Saturday, Mayor Linda Gorton said the community would come together to pray for those hurt, for “the young man we lost” and for his family and friends. “We are more determined than ever to protect our young people, and to help them turn away from violence,” she said. “Through One Lexington, we are organizing a trauma support event, and will announce details soon.”
Gov. Andy Beshear, speaking at a Democratic Party dinner in downtown Lexington hours after the shooting, invoked the memory of his close friend Tommy Elliott, who was killed in the 2023 mass shooting at Old National Bank in Louisville. “Let's think about the families of those that are involved. But having lost one of my closest friends in a shooting, let's not live in fear,” Beshear said.
The park was hosting East End Day, a neighborhood gathering meant to celebrate the community. Devine Carama, director of One Lexington, wrote on Facebook that he was at the event when the shots rang out. “While trying to keep four young people covered and safe during the shooting, a person 8 inches from me was shot tonight,” he said. “It's been 20 years since I've been that close to gunfire.”
The incident adds to a troubling pattern of gun violence in public spaces across the country, and it has renewed local calls for trauma support, youth intervention programs and stronger efforts to keep firearms away from young people. Officials have not released a possible motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.