Lexington murder victim tried to intervene in argument before being shot, detective says
A man who was killed in a September shooting was interceding in an argument between two other people when he was fatally shot, according to court testimony made by a Lexington detective Friday.
Jonathan Lockhart, 37, is facing a murder charge for allegedly killing 51-year-old Raymond Brooks at an apartment complex in the 1700 block of Jennifer Road in September. He appeared Friday in Fayette District Court for a preliminary hearing to determine whether or not there was probable cause for his charge.
Judge Melissa Murphy ultimately determined probable cause was established and sent the case to a grand jury.
The shooting that left Brooks dead happened around noon on Sept. 22 at an apartment complex in the 1700 block of Jennifer Road, according to Lt. Joe Anderson with the Lexington Police Department. Brooks suffered life-threatening injuries and was sent to the hospital, where he later died.
Lockhart allegedly fled the scene but was arrested five days later on unrelated charges of first degree trafficking, buying/possessing drug paraphernalia and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to court records. On Nov. 11 he was charged with murder in connection to Brooks’ death while incarcerated in the Fayette County Detention Center, police said.
Det. Hunter Wilks with the Lexington Police Department testified that Brooks was shot while interceding in an argument between two other people. Two primary witness accused Lockhart of committing the shooting, one of which saw the shooting directly, according to Wilks.
The second primary witness heard the shot being fired and Brooks falling to the ground, according to court documents. After the shooting the second witness saw Lockhart holding a pistol and saying, “look what you made me do.”
Brooks was unarmed at the time of the shooting, Wilks said. A significant amount of physical evidence, such as shell casings, was recovered from the scene, Wilks said.
A Fayette County grand jury will hear Lockhart’s case and determine whether or not there is enough evidence to indict him.
Lockhart is still detained at the Fayette County jail, according to jail records. He’s facing a bond in multiple cases, but the $750,000 bond in his murder case is the most significant.
