On the evening of December 1, 2024, the city of Lexington, Kentucky, lost a beloved community advocate. Quaynell King, a 44-year-old Black / African American man, was fatally shot on Versailles Road in what was the city’s second homicide in two days. Remembered as a dedicated father and a great friend, King was a passionate activist who worked to uplift others and strengthen his community. Family described him as a selfless leader who had turned his own life around to give back.
He was a regular at the East End Shared Kitchen, and his partner later launched a grief support organization in his honor to continue his mission.
The shooting occurred around 8:45 p.m. in the 1800 block of Versailles Road. Lexington Police were called to an apartment complex for reports of gunfire and found evidence of shots fired in the area. One neighbor, who was watching TV in her room, heard the shots and saw flashes through her curtains; she later found a bullet had gone through her window. Shortly after police arrived on the scene, King appeared at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital with a gunshot wound. He died from his injuries, and the Fayette County coroner's office ruled his death a homicide.
According to a criminal complaint, witnesses described a vehicle pulling up next to King’s vehicle at the apartment complex before multiple shots were fired. Investigators used cell phone records, which allegedly placed a suspect’s phone at the scene of the crime and leaving immediately after. Ten days later, on December 11, Lexington Police arrested 20-year-old Tiquan Anderson in connection with King's death.
Anderson was initially charged with murder, first-degree wanton endangerment, and first-degree criminal mischief. During a virtual court arraignment, a not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf, and a judge kept his bond set at one million dollars. King’s family, including his mother, Diann King, was present for the hearing. She described her son as a loving, outgoing person who adored his family, including his son and daughter.
Diann King revealed that she was lifelong friends with Anderson's mother and said there were "no sides" in the case, as both families were hurting. She also expressed frustration that Anderson had been out on bond for other charges at the time of the shooting, stating, "Obviously the system is not working effectively."
In January 2025, a grand jury formally indicted Tiquan Anderson on charges of murder, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, and first-degree criminal mischief. The case is proceeding through the court system.
