LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — One by one, the men accused of shooting a Lexington Police detective virtually appeared before a district judge Friday afternoon.
27-year-old Daquis Sharp, 19-year-old Jatiece Parks, and 19-year-old Zalan Dulin are charged with the following:
- attempted murder of a police officer
- second-degree assault to a police officer
- first-degree criminal mischief
- six counts of first-degree wanton endangerment
Each suspect pleads not guilty to the charges and is held on a $1 million bond.
The incident in question unraveled late Wednesday night.
According to police, a Lexington detective was involved in an investigation on Royal Avenue off Winchester Road.
Sharp, Parks, and Dulin, all unassociated with the investigation, appeared at the scene and fired shots in the detective’s unmarked car, hitting the officer in the thigh, according to police.
The collateral damage includes bullet holes in a home nearby where six people were inside.
No one was seriously hurt in the incident.
At the arraignment, a woman who identified herself as a family friend to the suspects shared this statement:
“The similarities to the circumstances and charges surrounding this incident mirror Kenneth Walker in the Breonna Taylor case, he too was criminalized when defending himself as are the 3 in custody right now. They were put in an impossible situation that jeopardized everyone’s safety, they believed they were under attack. The officer involved was in an unmarked vehicle in plain clothes and they’ve all been victims of gun violence with extensive mental health histories involving PTSD. We’re thankful that the officer involved wasn’t severely injured and were apologetic for this very serious misunderstanding. There is some accountability that needs to be taken on both sides and I don’t believe the Lexington Police Department is being transparent. They are trying to deflect by linking past offenses to justify the criminalization of these 3 black men 2 of which have NO CRIMINAL RECORD.”
Sharp, Parks, and Dulin will return to court on March 11 for a preliminary hearing.
