A section of I-75 in Lexington has reopened after being shut down for approximately five hours while police dealt with an armed man. Traffic was heavily impacted around 10 a.m. on Monday as vehicles were backed up for miles on both sides of the interstate. FOX 56 reported from the scene where traffic was at a standstill and law enforcement presence was noticeable.
The Lexington Police Department (LPD) responded to a call at around 9:42 a.m. at the Bryan Station Road overpass on I-75 regarding an armed and suicidal individual. FOX 56 interviewed a business owner on Bryan Station Road who mentioned that such an incident had never occurred near his establishment before. Despite the impact on sales due to customers’ inability to access the road, he expressed optimism for a safe resolution.
A worker at Hi Acres Liquor Store, Prasanna Acharya, explained the disruption caused by the incident on regular customers who utilized the road for their daily commute. The LPD Crisis Negotiation Unit tried to calm the individual involved, who eventually shot himself with his own gun. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with severe injuries from the self-inflicted gunshot. Fortunately, no officers were forced to discharge their weapons during the incident.