LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Chief Weathers commended his department's fast response to Sunday's mall shooting and said other law enforcement agencies stepped in along with fire and ambulance crews.
Weathers assured the people he serves that officers will be ready during emergencies.
"When something of this magnitude happens in this city, you can count on our Lexington police to respond," Chief Lawrence Weathers stated during a Tuesday press conference.
Kenneth Bottoms Jr., 17, died as a result of the shooting.
Xavier Hardin, 19, is accused of killing Bottoms Jr. He was arraigned in Fayette County District Court Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty. Lexington Police also charged Hardin with two counts of first degree assault because they say two bystanders were hit by bullets. Their injuries are not said to be serious. His bond is set at $560,000.
Chief Weathers said it's still unclear if Bottoms' murder is linked to other recent fatal teen shootings.
"None of these, we believe are random," Chief Weathers said. "The people involved had some sort of circumstances in common but with that being said from our standpoint, none of those circumstances or associations are worth anybody's life and nobody has a right to take anyone's life."
