Lexington police asking for tips about murder that left 17-year-old dead

The Lexington Police Department is asking the public for information about a murder that left a 17-year-old teenager dead.

The fatal shooting happened around 3:38 a.m. on March 8 on the 2400 block of Rockaway Place in the Masterson Station neighborhood. Police previously said Kenlon Johnson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital, where he later died.

One person was shot and killed on the 2400 block of Rockaway Place in the Masterson Station neighborhood of Lexington, Ky. on March 8, 2024. Chris Leach/cleach@herald-leader.com
One person was shot and killed on the 2400 block of Rockaway Place in the Masterson Station neighborhood of Lexington, Ky. on March 8, 2024. Chris Leach/cleach@herald-leader.com
One person was shot and killed on the 2400 block of Rockaway Place in the Masterson Station neighborhood of Lexington, Ky. on March 8, 2024. Chris Leach/cleach@herald-leader.com
One person was shot and killed on the 2400 block of Rockaway Place in the Masterson Station neighborhood of Lexington, Ky. on March 8, 2024. Chris Leach/cleach@herald-leader.com

Johnson was pronounced dead at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital at 4:21 a.m., according to the coroner’s office. Police did not provide any information about a suspect or what led up to the shooting.

Det. Kristyn Klingshirn, coordinator for Bluegrass Crime Stoppers, said it’s unknown if Johnson had any connections to the community or the residence where he was shot in front of. She encouraged residents in the area with a personal security system to check their footage for any potential leads.

“We’re asking anybody within – even if you’re a mile away or a couple miles away, you never know if you could’ve captured a car, anything,” Klingshirn said.

A fatal shooting in the 2400 block of Rockaway Place left a 17-year-old teenager dead in Lexington, Ky. Bluegrass Crime Stoppers
A fatal shooting in the 2400 block of Rockaway Place left a 17-year-old teenager dead in Lexington, Ky. Bluegrass Crime Stoppers

Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling (859) 253-2020 or visiting bluegrasscrimestoppers.com.

“Crime stoppers is and always will be 100% anonymous,” Klingshirn said. “We don’t want to ruin that relationship with the community with them trusting crime stoppers because that doesn’t benefit any of us.”

The shooting was the second homicide in Lexington of 2024 at the time. The city has reported four homicides as of May 1.