On the afternoon of Tuesday, June 4, 2024, police and emergency responders were dispatched to the 500 block of Newtown Pike in Lexington, Kentucky, for a report of a shooting. They arrived around 4:40 p.m. to find Antonio Taylor, a 48-year-old Black man, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the University of Kentucky Medical Center, but he died from his injuries during emergency surgery. Authorities stated that they believed the shooting was a targeted incident.
His death was recorded as the sixth homicide in Lexington for the year.
According to testimony from a Lexington Police Department detective, witnesses saw a person arrive at the residence in a silver Buick Century. The driver, who was wearing a mask, a black baseball cap, and all-black clothing, reportedly got out of the car and engaged in a verbal argument with Taylor. Moments later, the driver fired several shots at him. Investigators began piecing the case together using technology to track the suspect's vehicle. By analyzing footage from traffic cameras and data from Flock license plate readers, detectives were able to identify the car and link it to a suspect.
The investigation soon led authorities across state lines to Ohio. There, a coordinated effort between the U.S. Marshals Service Central Kentucky Fugitive Task Force, the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office resulted in the arrest of 48-year-old Shawnika Gill. She was taken into custody in Hamilton County, Ohio, and charged with the murder of Antonio Taylor.
Following her capture, Gill was held in Ohio before being extradited to Fayette County, Kentucky, to face the charge against her. She was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center and arraigned in June. Gill appeared in court for a preliminary hearing in July 2024, where a judge denied her request for a bond reduction, deeming her a "substantial danger to the community." The judge then sent the murder charge to a grand jury for consideration. As of July 2024, the case was awaiting grand jury proceedings.
