LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Nearly two years after his brother's unsolved murder, a Lexington man is on a mission to change the narrative in his neighborhood as he waits for justice.
"You get up and you see shootings on the news almost every almost weekly," said Pierre Swain. "It's rough to sort of feel like to become desensitized to it and that's part of the problem."
He says since his brother, Pietro "Retro" Swain, was killed in November 2021, he has had no peace.
"With us as victims of gun violence, it doesn't stop for us. Even though you stopped seeing it on social media. You stop hearing people talk about it. It's a daily occurrence. You never get away from it," said Pierre Swain.
The brothers were less than two years apart.
"Our love could never be touched. We always loved each other. We always felt that we always said that," said Pierre Swain.
His mother still lives in the home where Retro was shot dozens of times and killed in November 2021 on East Fifth Street in Lexington. It's been a daily reminder of all their unanswered questions since it happened.
"It was right there," said Pierre Swain. "It was right in the middle of the street. It seems so astonishing to me that not only didn't nobody see anything, but nobody will come forward. Nobody knows anything. But I don't know if it's people who are afraid and I understand that. You know that culture, especially being young black men in this neighborhood. This niche culture is sadly taken over and people are afraid people don't want retaliation because we know retaliation is real."
He's now reigniting the conversation for justice. A fish fry in Retro's honor is planned for September 9 right in front, right near where he was killed.
"I'm not scared. I refuse to be scared. Same reason my mom didn't leave her home. She said I'm not gonna let anyone tell me I can't be here. I'm not gonna let anyone think that they want by running me out of this neighborhood," said Pierre Swain. " I want, if the people who did this, if the people who know what happened, I want you to see my face. I want to do these interviews. I want to be at the forefront of these cameras and letting people know that I will never stop."
Pierre Swain says he hopes his love for the neighborhood shows through the event. He says fish fries were a popular occurrence in the East End neighborhood when he was growing up.
Swain, who's a chef, also plans to sell his own hot sauce and seasoning brand called "Money Talks."
"It was something that I've always had a big passion for — hot sauce — as being a chef," said Pierre Swain. "After my brother's death. I wanted to make something not only to honor him, but to sort of feel reconnected to him."
He says the gold color of the hot sauce is a reminder of his brother's gold grill-filled smile.
"Money Talks is actually a Carolina Reaper and cayenne but buffalo sauce that has edible gold and butter and a triple vinegar blend. I aged the hot sauce for roughly a month, and then I strained it, and then I added in the golden butter, "he explained.
The bottles he is selling are $15. A portion of proceeds from the event are going to Moms Demand Action.
According to police crime data, 20 families in total are waiting for answers for murders that happened in 2021.
Seven more families, for murders that happened in 2020.
Alice Carter was killed on East Fifth in 2020.
There have been twelve reported shooting investigations on that street since 2021. Most of them are still unsolved.
