Lexington 6-year-old blinded in a shooting will be honored at UK football bowl game

One year after being shot and blinded, a Lexington 6-year-old will be recognized at the University of Kentucky football team’s upcoming bowl game.

Malakai Roberts and his family have been invited to Orlando, Fl., for the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1. Malakai and his mother, Cacy Roberts, were struck by gunfire just before Christmas last year when their home on Catera Trce was shot into. Malakai was shot in the head and left permanently blind.

Vrbo, the company sponsoring the Citrus Bowl between UK and the University of Iowa, is covering the family’s first-class airfare and accommodations to spend a week in Florida. Cacy Roberts said Malakai and his brother, Kameron, were thrilled about the trip.

“That’s out of the reach of most normal people to be able to do, especially for a whole week, so we’re really excited,” Cacy said.

Vrbo said it plans to honor the family on-field during the game.

“We reached out to our contacts at the University of Kentucky to see if they know of a family deserving of a trip to Orlando and tickets to the game, and that led us to Malakai,” said Nancy Lien, public relations manager for Vrbo.

Cacy Roberts said someone from UK called her about a week ago and asked if the family would be able to attend the game and spend the week in Florida. Somebody from Vrbo called a few days later to help arrange all the accommodations.

“He’s never been on a plane before so he’s really excited about getting on a plane,” Cacy said of Malakai.

In addition to the game, Cacy said the family is considering what else to do while they spend the week in Florida. They’ve considered going to Disney World, Legoland, or finding water parks to visit, she said.

The family isn’t from Lexington originally and didn’t used to be Wildcat fans, but “people are so serious about their basketball and football and they love their school here, so you can’t help but get on board,” Cacy said.

Malakai has received an outpouring of support from the Lexington community, Cacy said. The family has had a lot of “appreciation for everybody just being so willing to help.”

The Glenn’s Freedom car dealership in Lexington donated an SUV to Cacy after her vehicle was totaled by gunfire. Fairway Leasing sent the family a new living room, dining room and kitchen set after their furniture was damaged by bullets. A Lexington police detective set up a GoFundMe page which has raised more than $21,000 for the family.

Malakai is still able to attend school with his peers, Cacy said. He has a mobility instructor and takes braille lessons.

Two teenagers have been charged with the shooting that blinded Malakai and injured Cacy. Michael Lemond and Teyo Waite, both 19, are facing assault and wanton endangerment charges, according to court records.

Lemond and Waite were indicted on the charges in September. A Lexington police detective previously testified in court that the two shot up the Roberts’ home because they thought someone else lived there.

Detective Jordan Tyree said in court the suspects in the Dec. 21, 2020, shooting intended to target the home of another person with whom Lemond got into an argument on social media. The intended target allegedly disrespected the victim of a 2019 homicide.

“They simply got the wrong house,” Tyree told the Fayette County District Court during the hearing.

Cacy was hit with the same bullet which struck Malakai; it entered and exited her arm, according to police.

It took investigators months to identify Lemond and Waite as suspects and apprehend them. Investigators used tips from an informant and phone and social media records to determine the two had been involved, Tyree said.

This story was originally published December 22, 2021 at 8:28 AM.

Jeremy Chisenhall

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-493-1925

Jeremy Chisenhall covers criminal justice and breaking news for the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com. He joined the paper in 2020, and is originally from Erlanger, Ky.