GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — Police say 22-year-old Christian Best died Friday night in Georgetown; 20-year-old Zekial Hofstetter has been charged in his murder.
Christian's mother Emma Best said Hofstetter was her son's best friend.
"It's not just that I lost my son, it's the way I lost my son…to his best friend," said Best. "Nothing makes sense, none of this makes sense."
Police say the shooting happened near Thorndale and Paris Pike in Georgetown. Hofstetter appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide.
A citation states Hofstetter reportedly had a loaded gun in his hand while driving. Best said her son was in the front seat. Hofstetter was allegedly teaching to grab something from the back seat when the gun went off.
"The safety of the gun should have been on," said Best. "You have to have your finger on the trigger for the gun to go off."
Best said Christian loved to draw, play XBox, and was a kind person. He graduated from Scott County High School in 2022.
"Anyone who met him loved him, he never met a stranger," said Best. "Christian didn't get to have a kid, get married, find his true love, because of this tragedy."
Best set up an account at Stock Yards Bank & Trust in Georgetown for people to donate towards covering the $12,000 funeral bill. Christian's funeral is on Thursday.
