Five shot, one fatally, in Kentucky in THIRD mass shooting in just 24 hours as gunfire erupts in packed downtown bar district

By ALEX HAMMER, US MEDIA CORRESPONDENT Published: 02:31, 16 August 2026 | Updated: 02:57, 16 August 2026 Five people have been wounded, including one person who was killed, following a shooting in Kentucky Saturday evening. Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed reports of the shooting in downtown Lexington during his speech at the Kentucky Democratic Party’s Moving Forward Together at the Hyatt Regency, not far away.  Chief of Lexington Police Lawrence Weathers was on the scene investigating, LEX News reported.  'Before I continue, I do need to let y’all know we do have some tough news tonight,' Beshear said.  'About a mile and a half from here, we’ve had a shooting actually since we started this dinner. We have five people that I think received injuries and probably have one deceased.' 'To stop mass shootings, we have got to elect Democrats that will actually do something about it,' Beshear declared, hours after other shootings in Virginia and Michigan. Chief Weathers said multiple children were among those shot in an update issued at the scene shortly thereafter. Five people have been wounded, including one person who was killed, following a shooting in Lexington, Kentucky, on Saturday around 6.45pm  Police are seen convened near Charles Young Park, the scene of the shooting, just before sundown He said a 4-year-old, a 14-year-old and two adults were shot around 6.45pm at Charles Young Park. All were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The park was in the midst of an outdoor concert event slated for 6 to 8pm, the Lexington Herald Leader first reported. It remains unclear whether a suspect was apprehended. Weathers told reporters at the scene that he didn’t believe there was a threat to the public, the Herald Leader reported.  A Lexington Police Department spokesperson told the Daily Mail the investigation was still active around 10pm ET.  'No further details are available at this time,' they said. The University of Kentucky HealthCare, meanwhile, reportedly sent an email to employees saying that it had responded to the 'tragic shooting at Charles Young Park' to provide care to 'multiple patients.' Police were filmed making a perimeter around the park with their cruisers before sundown. Gov. Andy Beshear used the shooting to urge citizens to vote Democrat during a speech at the Hyatt Regency not far away Police descended on the park, where there was reportedly an outdoor concert in place, after witnesses reported gunshots at 6.48pm, police said - adding that they did not believe there was any more threat to the public This is a breaking news story; please check back for updates.