Nephew, uncle killed in two Lexington shootings

Two male relatives died after separate shootings Sunday in cars just a few blocks apart, authorities said Monday.

Ronnie Graves, 54, died at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital just after 9:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Fayette County coroner's office. He was in the area of Charles Avenue at Hickory Street when he was shot.

Earlier Sunday, Montez Lamont Graves, 31, died after he was shot about 6 p.m. in the area of Whitney Avenue and Michigan Street.

Police said Ronnie Graves was Montez Graves' uncle.

It has not been confirmed that the two shootings were related.

Jermaine M. Anderson was arrested Sunday after he was seen running from the first shooting, police said. He was charged with fleeing police, tampering with evidence and trafficking in a controlled substance, according to court documents has been charged

Police spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts said investigations of both shootings continue, and additional charges against Anderson have not been ruled out.

Police said they were called to Whitney Avenue at Michigan Street, where they found two gunshot victims inside a car: Montez Graves and a second man, who was identified in police records as Frederick Thomas Spillman, 32.

Spillman remained at UK Hospital as of Monday afternoon, police said.

WKYT-TV reported that Spillman and Montez Graves were brothers.

Charles Happy, who lives on the 800 block of Whitney Avenue, said he was in his backyard when he heard five to six shots. The shooting had stopped by the time Happy came around to the front.

Then, at 8:30 p.m., police were called to Charles Avenue, which runs parallel to Whitney off Newtown Pike. Police found Ronnie Graves wounded in a silver sedan. His slaying was the city's eighth homicide of 2015.

On Monday, police held a news conference at headquarters to ask the public to provide information about the shootings and to reassure citizens that the city was safe.

Cmdr. Gregg Jones said police officers were near Whitney and Charles avenues when the shootings happened and responded within minutes.

"We're using all of our resources, and this is a priority to us," he said.

Extra patrol units will be in the area, he said.

Lt. Jonathan Bastian said Sunday that police had received multiple descriptions of the shooter on Charles Avenue.

This story was originally published June 9, 2015 at 6:08 AM with the headline "Nephew, uncle killed in two Lexington shootings."