Man charged with murder in fatal shooting near Lexington schools
.jpg "A man died after being found shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Centre Parkway in Lexington Friday afternoon.")
A man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection to a homicide in a Lexington neighborhood Friday.
The shooting on Centre Parkway prompted the Tates Creek schools campus to go on heightened alert Friday afternoon, for the second time in less than a week.
The Lexington Police Department said late Friday that officers used the Real-Time Intelligence Center to help them identify and find the suspect’s vehicle soon after the shooting.
Erick Morgan, 36, was arrested and charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence and felon in possession of a firearm. He was being held in the Fayette County Detention Center Friday night.
The Lexington Police Department said they found a man who had been shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex on the 1100 block of Centre Parkway after they were dispatched to the scene at about 2:50 p.m.
The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said. The Fayette County Coroner’s Office had not publicly identified the victim as of 10:30 p.m. Friday.
Lexington police Lt. Benjamin Stratton said the shooting was not connected to the schools and did not involve any students.
The heightened alert was lifted around 4 p.m.
Tates Creek Elementary School dismissed students as usual Friday afternoon, though the after-school program remained in session on heightened alert, Fayette County Public Schools spokeswoman Miranda Scully said.
Tates Creek High School and Tates Creek Middle School dismissed most students as usual, too, but those who walked home from school were held until the alert ended.
“There are times when a situation may not necessitate a full-scale lockdown, but it is prudent to take extra precautions due to incidents that have occurred in the surrounding area of the school,” Tates Creek Middle School Principal Kelly Sirginnis said in a message to families that was sent via email at about 3 p.m. “During heightened alert, law enforcement actively monitors our campus. While activities inside the building continue as usual, we follow our established safety protocols, which include no outdoor activities. We will notify you when the heightened alert has been lifted.”
A similar situation unfolded Tuesday afternoon, when police said an 18-year-old was shot at Gainesway Park.
Stratton said Friday’s shooting was not related that shooting.
Anyone with information about the shooting Friday was asked to call Lexington police at 859-258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling 859-253-2020, visiting Bluegrasscrimestoppers.com or using the P3 Tips app at P3tips.com.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 4:03 PM.
