In the fading light of a Friday afternoon in Lexington, Kentucky, the life of 36-year-old Derrico Wallace Jr., a male visitor from Detroit, was cut short by a fatal act of violence. On November 7, 2025, at approximately 2:50 p.m., gunshots shattered the quiet of an apartment complex parking lot on Centre Parkway, near the Tates Creek schools campus. Wallace was struck by the gunfire and, despite being rushed to a local hospital, succumbed to his injuries.
The brazen daytime shooting prompted a 'heightened alert status' at the nearby schools, marking the second time in a week that violence in the area had necessitated such a precaution.
The Lexington Police Department, leveraging their Real-Time Intelligence Center, quickly identified a suspect's vehicle, leading to a swift arrest within an hour of the incident. The suspect was identified as 36-year-old Erick Morgan. According to police, Wallace and Morgan were acquaintances, and the motive for the shooting may have been rooted in Morgan's belief that Wallace was involved with his girlfriend. Authorities confirmed that Wallace was unarmed at the time of the altercation.
During his interview with detectives, a distraught Morgan waived his rights and confessed to the shooting. He disclosed that he had concealed the weapon, a black Glock, in a nearby bush, which law enforcement subsequently recovered. The investigation painted a chaotic picture of the confrontation, alleging that Morgan produced the firearm and fired an initial shot. As Wallace attempted to flee towards the street, Morgan reportedly pursued him, firing additional rounds. In the course of the shooting, a parked car occupied by a woman and a five-year-old child was struck by gunfire.
Morgan’s attempt to escape in his vehicle was short-lived as he crashed near the end of the road and then tried to flee on foot before being apprehended. Eyewitness testimony and footage from residential surveillance cameras reportedly corroborated Morgan's identity as the shooter. Erick Morgan was subsequently charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Two counts of wanton endangerment were also added due to the occupied vehicle being hit. He was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center with his bond set at $1 million. In his initial court appearance, Morgan pleaded not guilty, and a judge found probable cause to forward his case to a grand jury for potential formal charges in circuit court.
