Veteran Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay has lost his 15-year old daughter.
According to various news source, Trinity Gay was shot and killed early this morning in Kentucky.
Police have confirmed that Trinity was shot in the neck during a shootout between two cars in a Lexington restaurant parking lot around 4 a.m.
Authorities say that the young woman was not in either car when the shooting took place; but she was hit nonetheless and then taken to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead within an hour.
Gay caught a flight to Kentucky as quickly as he could, telling a local news station in the process:
“She didn’t make it. She was just here last week for fall break … I have no idea what happened.”
Police have not made any arrests. They are reportedly seeking two persons of interest.
Trinity Gay was a sprinter at Lafayette High in Lexington, finishing fourth in the 100 meters and fifth in the 200 meters at the state Class 3A high school track meet in May.
She also ran on a 4×200 relay team that finished in fourth place.
Tyson Gay also ran at Lafayette and still holds the state record in the 100 meters.
Kentucky High School Athletic Association commissioner Julian Tackett Tweeted in response to this tragedy that he was stunned by the death of Trinity.
“Shocked to hear of death of Trinity Gay. A life of such potential cut so tragically short. Sympathies to Tyson and entire family,” he wrote.
Tyson Gay has competed in the past three Summer Olympics.
He was part of a unit that won a silver medal in the 4×100-meter relay at the 2012 London Games, although that medal was ultimately stripped after Gay tested positive for steroids in 2013.
Gay’s 100 meters personal best of 9.69 seconds is the American record in that event and it makes him tied for second fastest athlete ever in the 100 meters, after Usain Bolt.
The athlete’s 200 meters time of 19.58 makes him the sixth fastest athlete in that race.
We cannot imagine the pain he is going through right now and we send his family our condolences.