Neighbor of shooting victim: ‘I was shocked when I saw who it was’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Rowan County teen fatally shot while intervening in assault on his mother.
- Suspect Gildardo Martinez charged; federal detainer issued over immigration status.
- Louisville alters detainer policy to comply with ICE and avoid sanctuary label.
A fatal shooting in Rowan County that left a 15-year-old boy dead and his sister wounded in the hospital has sent a ripple of sadness and surprise through the community.
Luis Jocsan Nanez Lopez, a soon-to-be sophomore at Rowan County High School, was shot and killed in the incident July 20 at a triplex on West Sun Street in Morehead. Luis was shot after intervening in the sexual assault of his mother, according to court documents.
His sister was also shot and sent to a hospital, where she remains in critical condition, according to local domestic violence shelter DOVES of Gateway. The shelter has set up a memorial fund where people can help cover the family’s funeral expenses and medical bills.
Gildardo Martinez, 36, was arrested hours after the incident and charged with murder, first-degree assault and attempted rape, according to police. He has a federal immigration detainer after entering the United States illegally in 2021, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Don Williams lives in a unit of the West Sun Street triplex where the Nunez family lived. He moved into the unit about six months ago and described the family as hardworking and friendly.
“I was shocked when I saw who it was, who did it because he’s very friendly in person,” Williams said.
Williams was asleep when the shooting happened but woke up to the sound of police officers investigating the triplex. He stepped outside with his dog to see what was going on and saw SWAT vehicles, drones and officers armed with rifles.
One of the officers asked Williams where the family’s unit was. Williams said he pointed to the direction of the family’s unit and the officer went inside with his gun drawn.
“That was my cue to get inside,” Williams said.
Williams asked another officer if the kids were OK, and the officer said, “I can’t tell you right now,” Williams said. That was when Williams realized something was wrong.
“They were friendly, good kids,” Williams said. “I live above them and they never made a lot of noise. They’re kind of shy but they seem like good kids to me.”
Williams was complimentary of how police handled the situation and prevented more people from getting hurt.
“They did a really good job,” Williams said. “They caught someone before he could go hurt other people.”
Louisville makes change to immigration detainer policy
Several Republican leaders in Kentucky used Martinez’s case to highlight efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. Martinez had no prior criminal history before his July 20 arrest, but in 2023, he was pulled over for driving with an expired temporary tag in Jefferson County, according to court records.
Martinez told the officer he did not have a driver’s license or an insurance card, and he was ultimately found guilty only of an amended charge of driving without a license. He paid a $50 fine, according to court records.
Some leaders have criticized Louisville for its immigration policies. In early June, Louisville was included in a list of “sanctuary cities” published by President Donald Trump, according to a statement from Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
Sanctuary city is a term used to describe a city that does not fully cooperate with federal agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Louisville was included on the list because of how it handled inmates with immigration detainers at Louisville Metro Corrections. Those detainers are given to inmates who are suspected to be in the U.S. illegally and could be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement when their case is resolved.
Federal law says if a jailed inmate is given an immigration detainer, jails are asked to hold the inmate for up to an extra 48 hours to allow federal authorities to take custody of that inmate, according to Greenberg’s statement The 48-hour detainer time-period is standard practice for Kentucky’s Department of Corrections.
Louisville Metro Corrections used to follow the standard practice, but in 2017, it changed its policy and only held inmates with immigration detainers for about five to 12 hours, Greenberg said. Louisville is the only city that doesn’t comply with the 48-hour detainer practice.
After facing heavy pressure from federal officials, including a strongly written warning from US Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Greenberg announced on Tuesday that Louisville Metro Corrections would adjust its immigration policy to align with the federal law as soon as practically possible.
Greenberg said Louisville will no longer be considered a sanctuary city by the federal government if the change was made.
“This change in designation is critical,” Greenberg said. “Cities on the sanctuary city list right now are experiencing a terrifying increase in raids by ICE, including mass raids. Just look at what’s gone on in LA and other cities across the country. “
Louisville could’ve also lost hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants if it remained on the sanctuary city list, Greenberg said. The funds supported the city’s most vulnerable residents with food, rental assistance, and medical care.
“I’ve talked with leaders within our immigrant community before I made this decision,” Greenberg said. “I heard their fears loud and clear about current federal policies and ICE actions. I also heard that they want Louisville off the federal sanctuary city list.”
Less than 100 of Louisville’s inmates are affected by immigration detainers annually. Greenberg said he didn’t want to jeopardize the “tens of thousands of immigrant families in Louisville” by not following the 48-hour detainer practice.
“I believe we will best protect our law-abiding immigrant community and our entire city by focusing the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement actions on the few inmates in our jail who have been arrested for committing crimes and are subject to deportation,” Greenberg said.
On Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said Greenberg and the city of Louisville were under extensive pressure to make the change. He added the change brought the city more in line with the rest of the state’s practice.
“I think they were faced with little choice and they’re now in line with the rest of the state,” Beshear said.
