LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Over the weekend, Lexington Police responded to the city’s latest shooting.
According to police, the shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. outside Brothers Bar and Grill on Winchester Road.
The incident left two people injured.
Next door to where the violence broke out, store owner Jocelyn Bornelus said crime seems to be commonplace on and near Winchester Road.
“We're not safe at this time,” said Bornelus.
Along with this brother, Bornelus opened JF Bongout Bakery & Grocery in July 2023. The shop sells traditional Haitian snacks and Caribbean cuisine.
For Bornelus, operating his own store is an American dream, allowing him to cater to the local Haitian community while bringing a new culture to Lexingtonians.
But eight months in, the Caribbean pride spilling out of the shop is overshadowed by all the crime.
“Last Saturday, I was coming to prepare pastries and stuff like that. I left my home at 4:30 a.m. and at around 5 o'clock when I got in, on the path right there, I saw police arrest someone right there, at 5 o'clock. Why you not go home? Why aren't you home at this time? Said Bornelus.
Crime outside his window hasn’t slowed since he moved in, and now, Bornelus worries that Winchester Road was the wrong place to open up shop.
Late February, three men were charged in the shooting that injured a Lexington detective only a block away.
Then, in early February, a shooting yards from Bornelus’ store left a man dead.
Contractually tied to the space for three years, Bornelus worries for his and his patrons’ safety.
Regarding the latest shooting on Winchester Road, police are still searching for a suspect. If you have any information on the incident, you can submit an anonymous tip to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers.
