‘What about my babies?’ Cosmetologist dies two days after shooting outside Fayette Mall

A 30-year-old Nicholasville woman died two days after she was shot while leaving Fayette Mall Friday night.

LaPorscha Stringer died Sunday from a gunshot wound at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital at 3:38 p.m. Sunday, the Fayette County coroner’s office revealed Monday.

Police said Friday the victim and shooter were in separate vehicles when the shooting occurred. The shooting happened at the mall’s exit on Nicholasville Road, across from Wilson Downing Road. Police said she may have known the person who shot her.

Witnesses told police Stringer was leaving the mall and was stopped at a red light while the suspect in a dark-colored vehicle was in front of her. The suspect then turned around, re-entered the mall through an exit lane, pulled up beside Stringer’s vehicle and fired multiple shots, Sgt. Donnell Gordon said. The suspect fled toward Dillard’s.

Stringer’s cousin, Jenni Haynes, said Stringer was on the phone with a friend when the shooting occurred.

“(The friend) heard the gunshots over the phone and LaPorscha’s first words after being shot in the head were, ‘Why?! What about my babies?!’” Haynes said. “She loved her children very much and they ripped her away from them as well as everyone else that loved her.”

Tayler Stinson said on Facebook Stringer had 11, 8 and 7-year-old children.

“They have to grow up without their mom,” Stinson said. “They will never get to see their mama again. They will never get to hug her or love on her.”

According to her Instagram page, Stringer turned 30 years old Aug. 19. Stringer’s social media pages state she went to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington and recently graduated from the Barrett & Co. School of Hair Design in Nicholasville.

A hairdresser, according to social media posts, Stringer was one of the “realist, funniest and smartest women,” according to TeeJay Malik Dawson.

“Full of life, ambitions and she loved the hell out of her kids!” Dawson wrote on Facebook. “There was a moment in time where we used to vent to each other, be laughing and joking about everything.”

Another friend, Amanda Reid, said on Facebook, “her smile lit up a room & her energy was positive.”

Having just graduated from cosmetology school, Stringer had big business plans, Haynes said.

“She wanted to move out of state to make a better life for her and her children and they took it all away from her,” Haynes said. “I have no doubt that justice will be served, but I just want my cousin back.”

Melena Tracey Robinson, whose daughters frequently had their hair cut by Stringer, said her girls only wanted Stringer to do their hair.

“Every week they would say momma call Barretts and see if Porscha can fit us in,” Robinson wrote. “When you seen how much hair they both had, you invited us into your home so you could take all the time you needed to do a perfect job and you never disappointed.”

Funeral arrangements have not been made, Haynes said.

There have been 13 homicides this year in Lexington, 12 of which have occurred through gunfire. The shooting Friday is one of several in the past year around Fayette Mall, but the first one involving a fatality.

Last month, three people suffered non-life threatening injuries after being shot outside Bar Louie. In October, a fight led to gunfire outside P.F. Chang’s.

Anyone with information about the weekend shooting was urged to contact police at 859-258-3600.

Anonymous tips, including photos and videos, can be submitted by texting LEXPD plus the tip to 274637. Information can also be sent anonymously through Bluegrass Crime Stoppers at 859-253-2020 or Bluegrasscrimestoppers.com.

“We really need the public to step up and provide any type of information,” Gordon said. “Don’t assume we know what happened. Please just call and provide any little detail, even if you got a partial plate … You never know what small detail can help move this investigation forward.”

This story was originally published August 26, 2019 at 10:38 AM.