2nd woman charged in New Year’s Day shooting in Lexington. Police look for another suspect
The Lexington Police Department has arrested a second suspect in connection to a shooting that happened in downtown Lexington on New Year’s Day.
Jonneisheia Lewis, 33, has been charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm in city limits. Her arrest citation says she fired a gun near a large crowd of people, which resulted in other people firing shots in return.
Lewis was shot during the incident, according to court documents. Police previously said a woman was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Lewis was being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond, according to jail records. She was scheduled to make an initial court appearance Friday.
Police are also looking for a third suspect. Lavonne Smith, 30, has an active warrant for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, police said.
Anyone with information or knowledge of Lavonne Smith’s whereabouts can call Lexington police at (859) 258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling (859) 253-2020, online at www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com, or through the P3 Tips app at www.p3tips.com.
The shooting happened at 1:59 a.m. on the 100 block of West Main Street. Police previously said a “disorder” preceded the shots being fired.
It was the first shooting reported in Lexington in 2024. There were 84 non-fatal shootings reported in Lexington in 2023, down from 119 in 2022, according to ONE Lexington.
Monteza Long, 24, was previously arrested and charged with first-degree wanton endangerment and discharging a firearm within city limits in connection to the shooting, according to police. She was being held in the Fayette County Detention Center. She is being held at the Fayette County jail on a $25,000 bond, according to jail records.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow criminal charges work
Suspects are charged by law enforcement based on initial allegations and evidence that have not yet been proven in court or through jury trial.
This story was originally published January 5, 2024 at 2:15 PM.
