Lexington, Kentucky — The city is reeling after a teenage boy was shot and killed Thursday afternoon in a quiet apartment complex parking lot on Versailles Road. The Fayette County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as 17‑year‑old Johnathon Hunt, and ruled his death a homicide from a gunshot wound.
Just after 4 p.m., Lexington police were called to the 1500 block of Versailles Road following reports of gunfire. When officers reached the Westminster Village Apartments parking area, they found Hunt lying wounded in the cold grey light of late afternoon. Emergency crews fought to save him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neighbors described a chaotic scene as sirens cut through the usual hum of evening traffic. Vehicles were lined up, their headlights shining over yellow police tape and investigators taking notes. It was the sort of shocking moment no one expected to happen in a familiar place many call home.
Police have not shared any details about a suspect or a possible motive. Detectives remain tight‑lipped, focusing instead on gathering evidence, talking to witnesses, and piecing together what led to a young life ending so abruptly.
Lexington authorities are urging anyone who saw anything – no matter how small it might seem – to come forward. Tips can be shared with the Lexington Police Department or submitted anonymously through Bluegrass Crime Stoppers.
Friends and family have begun to mourn online, leaving messages of heartbreak and disbelief. For parents in this city, it raises old fears anew: that violence can touch any neighborhood, at any time, and change lives in an instant.
This is now the sixth homicide in Lexington this year, a grim milestone that city leaders say demands attention to safety and community support. Police continue their investigation as the hunt for answers, and justice, presses on.
