Detective: Lexington murder suspect fired 3 shots, got shot twice during standoff
A Lexington homicide suspect fired three shots in a standoff with police during which he was also shot twice, according to a Lexington detective who testified in court Tuesday.
Brandon Dockery, 32, was shot in the hand, and another bullet grazed his head after he allegedly fired at Lexington police and U.S. Marshals on July 28, detective Derrick Walton testified during a preliminary hearing in in Fayette District Court. The U.S. Marshals and Lexington police were trying to arrest Dockery on a murder warrant.
Dockery was wanted in the downtown shooting death of 30-year-old Raymar Webb. Another Lexington detective testified Tuesday that the shooting was captured on camera. The shooting happened in a parking lot, and the video came from surveillance cameras at a nearby business, according to police.
“The video captured the entire thing,” a detective said in court Tuesday morning.
The shooting happened in June, and Dockery was publicly identified as a suspect on June 25. The U.S. Marshals Service received information that he may have been staying with someone else in a duplex on Thirlstane Court, Walton testified. Three marshals and three Lexington police officers went to the home.
Officers were outside the home trying to decide how to best make the arrest, Walton said.
“They began coordinating a plan on whether they were going to do a search warrant or how it was going to be to apprehend Mr. Dockery at this residence,” Walton said. “At that time, Mr. Dockery came to the front door, opened the front door.”
“He stated that he knew they knew who he was.”
Dockery didn’t make any threatening statements, but he had his hand buried in his hoodie pocket, Walton testified. Police believed he was pointing a gun at them through the hoodie pocket, and he refused to take his hand out of the pocket. Officers used a Taser on Dockery, and he fired a shot at them, Walton said.
Dockery was about 5 feet from the door, and the closest officers were about 8 feet away from him when he fired, Walton said.
The law enforcement officers fired back before fleeing to a defensive position, Walton said.
Investigators have determined that Dockery ultimately fired three shots, Walton said. There were three bullet holes in the hoodie pocket and three shell casings from Dockery’s handgun were found. Previously released investigative records indicated Dockery’s gun jammed during the shooting.
The gun Dockery used in the altercation was reported stolen in February 2020, Walton said.
Walton said it was unclear how many shots were fired in total, but Dockery was shot twice. One bullet skimmed his head, Walton said. The other hit him in the hand, but it was unclear if that shot was fired by law enforcement or if Dockery had shot himself.
Dockery was taken to a local hospital for treatment after eventually surrendering to police on July 28, Walton testified. Dockery had a cast on his left hand during his court appearance Tuesday.
After he was shot, Dockery didn’t talk to investigators about the homicide or the arrest, Walton said.
One of the Lexington officers fired his gun, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said after the shooting. The officer was placed on administrative reassignment after the shooting. Lexington police turned their investigation over to Kentucky State Police, who have declined to release the name of the officer who fired.
It was initially unclear if the U.S. Marshals Service also fired at Dockery. Walton didn’t clarify that Tuesday.
Fayette District Judge Lindsay Thurston moved the cases to the grand jury, which will determine if they proceed to circuit court.
Dockery was in the Lexington-Fayette County Detention Center Tuesday.
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