Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay lost his daughter over the weekend when 15-year-old Trinity Gay was shot in front of a restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky. Trinity was caught in an exchange of gunfire at 4 A.M. on Sunday.
Police authorities have arrested three suspects for the homicide. Chazerae Taylor and his son, D’markeo Taylor were charged with wanton endangerment. Dvonta Middlebrooks was charged with wanton endangerment and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Trinity, like her father, was a standout runner who was attending Tyson’s alma mater, Lafayette High School. She was the state champion in her region for the 200m dash.
“She didn’t make it,” Tyson said. “I’m so confused. She was just here last week for fall break. It’s so crazy. I have no idea what happened.”
On Monday, 2,000 people gathered at the Lafayette track for a vigil where Tyson beseeched for an end to the violence. Many wore Trinity’s favorite colors: pink and purple, some hung track shoes on a fence to memorialize her.
“As parents, we do our best to raise our child the best we can. And sometimes things just happen; it’s out of our control,” Gay said. “We only can look up and ask God why.”
Trinity was hanging out with Morgan Gaines, 16, and Alexa Garner,17, when the shooting began. Gaines drove Trinity to the hospital after she told them she had been struck. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
“I don’t want to read in the paper next week about another senseless killing,” Tyson said. “It has to stop.”
