Lexington business hoped for safe outcome during I-75 closure due to police presence

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — A section of I-75 has reopened in Lexington after being shut down for about five hours while police negotiated with an armed man.

Around 10 a.m. on Monday, traffic was backed up for miles on I-75 in both directions.

FOX 56 was on the scene amongst stopped, slowed traffic, and a heavy police presence.

The Lexington Police Department (LPD) said that around 9:42 a.m. officers were dispatched to the Bryan Station Road overpass on I-75 for what police said was an “armed and suicidal subject.”

FOX 56 spoke with one business owner on Bryan Station Road who said this is the first time something like this has ever happened near his business, and although it caused a decline in sales, he was hopeful for a safe outcome.

“In the mornings, we have a lot of regular customers that have to take that road as a commute, so we’ve been impacted. I haven’t seen a lot of customers that are here usually by this time,” said Hi Acres Liquor Store worker Prasanna Acharya. “It was more than business, business will still be here, but I was concerned about the person.”

Members of the LPD Crisis Negotiation Unit attempted to calm the subject. Officials said the man fired his gun, ultimately striking himself.

He was then transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, LPD said. No officers fired their weapons.