Letters to editor: Death of Trinity Gay

BUILD a safe Lexington

I am part of a social-justice organization at my church called BUILD, which has been working over the past year to make Lexington part of the National Network for Safe Communities, which brings strategies to cities across the U.S. to decrease violent crime and make neighborhoods safer.

NNSC emphasizes one-on-one conversations among city leaders, police officers and those convicted of crimes, helping the convicted understand there are choices they can make to overcome a lifestyle of crime.

Lexington’s police chief has been unwilling to implement this. After incidents of gun violence in Lexington, including the killing of 15-year-old Trinity Gay just minutes away from the University of Kentucky campus on Sunday, I do not see how he can continue to object.

I have lived all my 19 years in this city and now attend UK, and I cannot stand that lives continue being lost while we move on without doing anything about it. We need to come together and do something that has worked in other communities. Making excuses that the NNSC is too costly or that it won’t work here is disrespecting the lives of those who have died as a result of violence.

It’s time to stop stalling and do something.

Adult responsibility

By all accounts and much evidence, Trinity Gay was a young woman of fine qualities who was, at an early age, leaving a positive mark on society.

How sad that the world has lost this lovely young woman. If only events could have been altered we would not be seeing the grief of this loss etched on so many faces. Young people are put in harm’s way because life is so devalued by some.

I am an old woman who was reared in a different kind of world than we confront today. Perhaps some things of that world kept us safe. As a teenager I was expected to be at home at 4 a.m. asleep in my bed. The freedoms we now grant to our children sometimes put them in danger.

These freedoms are usually not because parents do not care but because our world thinks it is normal for 15-year-olds to roam the streets and socialize at 4 a.m. This is often dangerous, at-risk behavior. Perhaps responsible adults need to rethink how we are allowing our children to socialize in today’s society.

a cynical thought

Not to diminish the tragedy that recently occurred in Lexington, but the obvious question that nobody seems to ask in public is, “Why is a 15-year-old child out and about at 4 a.m.?” Just a thought from a cynical old man.

Work begins in communities

I appreciate the coverage of the four men arrested in connection with the shooting of a 15-year-old girl.

I hope you will keep us updated on the progress of the case.

Someone needs to remind us that if blacks demonstrate against police shootings of blacks, that we must use the same convictions and energy to bring attention to those in the communities of protests, where the true work begins.

Selective grief

My heart breaks over the tragic loss of Trinity Gay. I have a daughter and can’t imagine the pain the Gay family is feeling. My prayers are with this family during this painful time.

My intent is not to be heartless, here is my question. What is a 15-year-old doing out at 4 a.m.? I’m 40 years old and am not brave enough to be out at 4 a.m. in a parking lot where shots had reportedly been fired before. Doesn’t Lexington have a curfew?

I know that even if the answer is that she sneaked out of the house and was in the wrong place at the wrong time, it still does not bring back a young talented lady to her family.

But also ask yourself this: If she was not a child of a famous dad would we care? Young kids die weekly and only the parents and family grieve.

Trigger happy, don’t care

Do you think the news coverage of the death of Trinity Gay is going a tad too far? If not, then you need to rename her school or maybe the town after her.

I’m sure nobody wanted her to die that young and that way, probably not even the guys pulling the triggers. A good lawyer may get them out in a few years for business as usual? The violence is not going to stop with those good lawyers or the justice system the way it is.

We need answers so that no more young lives are taken by people pulling triggers and not thinking or caring about a better world.

No good after midnight

Trinity Gay was 15. She was the daughter of Olympian Tyson Gay. Why was she out on the streets at 4 a.m.? Why is no one pointing out to parents of children under 18 that nothing good happens after midnight?

I don’t blame Gay for Trinity’s death. That is absurd. She was killed by killers. I simply want to warn parents who still have children under their control that killers lurk in our midst. The world is a dangerous place, even in Lexington.

Trinity was a bright young daughter whose life was snuffed out much too early. Make sure your child is safe tonight.

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 7:16 PM with the headline "Letters to editor: Death of Trinity Gay."