Shootout in downtown Lexington around 2:30pm Friday near Elm Tree and Short St

Witnesses report hearing an exchange of gunfire in downtown Lexington today around 2:30pm.

“I was downtown walking on Short Street and I heard eight gunshots,” one witness said. After a brief lull, they say they heard four shots fired in return. The shots seem to have originated from around Short Street and Elm Tree Ln

Sources also say that there may be visual witnesses to the downtown firefight, but that could not be independently verified.

A search of social media turned up more accounts of the event:

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Lexington police just cleared this scene at E Short and Elm Tree in downtown. We’re still waiting to learn more, but I noticed shattered windows and what appeared to be bullet holes. The latest at 5 on #WKYT. pic.twitter.com/StCXixMVN0

— Chad Hedrick (@ChadHedrickWKYT) August 12, 2022

Update: WKYT is now reporting:

Lexington Police received a report at 2:40 p.m. of shots fired in the 200 block of Short Street, near Elm Tree. 

Police say someone in a car fired shots at another vehicle. There were bullet holes in the vehicle that was shot at, but person in that car wasn’t hurt.

Police say the suspect vehicle was last seen heading toward Broadway. They tried to stop it, but the driver sped off. Police spotted it again in the Loudon area and kept eyes on it from there with a helicopter.

At one point, the car blew a tire, but the suspect kept going.  Finally, the suspect bailed out of the car. Officers arrested the suspect on Gatehouse Place.  Police say they also recovered a gun during this process. 

Police say charges are pending against the 18-year-old suspect.

Suspect in custody after car hit with gunfire in downtown Lexington