A Lexington police officer was injured Saturday after responding to a shooting incident involving four juveniles at a gas station along Newtown Pike in Kentucky.
Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers provided an update on the incident, which he labeled as a “not a fatal shooting.”
“A Lexington police officer has been involved in an on-duty shooting,” Weathers told reporters at a press conference on the matter, which took place around 1 p.m. “Officers observed four juveniles believed to be involved in a shooting from an earlier date. The juveniles were seen in the 1000 block of Newtown Pike.”
According to Weathers, police attempted to investigate the situation and “during the investigation, one of the juveniles fired a weapon, striking an officer.”
“Another officer returned gunfire,” he said, adding that “no one” was injured from that gunfire. “The officer was wearing a ballistic vest and was transported to the hospital with a reported non-life-threatening injury.”
Weathers stated “three juveniles have been detained” and the investigation – led by the Kentucky State Police, a critical response team, and the department’s public integrity unit – is still ongoing.
Weathers told reporters that the officer involved in the shooting had his body camera turned on to capture the moment and that he will be “placed on administrative assignment pending the outcome of the investigation.”
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Noting that “policing is a tough job,” Weathers thanked his law enforcement partners and offered appreciation for the officers “who perform bravely in the face of danger and who perform with kindness, courtesy, and sincerity when it’s needed.”
Weathers noted that the officer who was injured is “still in good spirits” and is being treated at a hospital.
