Story highlights
15-year-old Trinity Gay killed in early morning shootout
Trinity Gay was a rising track star at her school
One man has beem arrested in connection with shooting
The teenage daughter of U.S. Olympian Tyson Gay has died after an early morning shooting in Lexington, Kentucky and police have arrested one man in connection with the crime.
Gay, a former world 100-meter and 200-meter champion, confirmed the death of his 15-year-old daughter Trinity to CNN-affiliate WLEX.
“She didn’t make it. I’m so confused,” the former world 100- and 200-meter champ told the station. “She was just here last week for fall break. It’s so crazy. I have no idea what happened.”
Early morning shooting
The events that took Trinity’s life occurred around 4 a.m. Sunday, according to Lexington police. They said a group of men in two cars opened fire on each other in the parking lot of a Cook Out restaurant. Trinity was shot in the neck. Police said she was not a passenger in either of the vehicles.
The men who were firing on each other fled the scene.
Gay was taken to UK Hospital in a private vehicle, where she later died, police said.
Lexington police located one of the two cars involved in the shootout – a gray Dodge Charger – within a few hours of the incident, and detained two people for questioning. Authorities arrested 21-year-old Dvonta Middlebrooks on Sunday afternoon. Police believe he was in the parking lot when the shooting occurred and fired multiple shots.
He has been charged with wanton endangerment and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Another man who was questioned by police has not been charged, according to a police statement.
Police are still looking for the second vehicle, which witnesses described as a dark sports car with tinted windows.
Like father, like daughter
A Lexington native, Gay is the second fastest man to run the 100-meter in history, behind Usain Bolt. Gay ran the 100-meter in 9.69 seconds in 2009, matching Bolt’s gold-winning effort at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. (Bolt ran a 9.58 at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.)
Gay won gold medals in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4x100-meter relay at the 2007 world championships in Osaka, Japan. He had to return a silver medal he won for his part in the 4x100-meter relay at the 2012 London Games after testing positive for steroids. He also served a one-year ban from his sport.
Trinity was a rising track star herself, a sprinter for Lafayette High School in Lexington, according to CNN affiliate WKYT.
Trinity was a rising track star herself. She attended Lafayette High School in Lexington and was a sprinter on the school’s track team, according to CNN affiliate WKYT.
During a 2012 interview with CNN’s “Aiming for Gold,” Gay spoke of balancing his own career with his desire to nurture Trinity’s aspirations.
“In that sense, I am trying to balance my time so I can watch her career and I can finish up my career,” Gay said.
‘Our hearts are broken’
Condolences poured in from friends and associates of both father and daughter.
“Please join us in keeping the Gay family close in thought and prayer and supporting the students, staff and families at Lafayette High during this unspeakably difficult time,” Fayette County Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk said in a statement.
The school system has activated a crisis team, which will be at Lafayette High School on Monday to offer counseling and support to students and staff.
Local schools and track teams, too, expressed their grief.
Athletes and Olympians also offered condolences on social media. Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell wrote, “Bro want to send my condolences… can’t even imagine what you must be going thru.”
Tyson Gay flew from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Lexington on Sunday.
An autopsy will be conducted on Trinity Gay Monday morning.
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