Victim's identity released, man arrested in Frankfort murder

LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- Frankfort police have arrested a man in connection with the murder of a 16-year-old boy early Monday morning. Neighbors at the Austin Park Apartments here several guns shots and rushed to the scene.

"At first I thought it was a fire cracker...then I heard some more shots and I knew that was too consistent to be a fire cracker," says Carla Dean, neighbor.

Dean went to the scene after hearing the gunshots early Monday morning; what she found was pretty disturbing.

"When I got over here...my oldest son and another family friend was around the young man trying to revive him," says Dean.

That young man was 16 year old Jafari Hart; he had been shot several times. "I was trying to talk to the young man telling him to hold on that God ain't ready for him yet."

Dean and other neighbors did what they could while waiting on emergency crews to arrive, but nothing seemed to work.

"I really don't think there was anything that can be done because he had been shot multiple times," says Dean.

Major Fred Deaton with Frankfort Police says,"The Franklin County coroner's office pronounced the victim dead at the scene."

After Hart was pronounced dead, Frankfort police immediately started looking for suspects.

Deaton says,"Anytime a human life is swept away it is a horrific event."

And several hours later...police arrested 19 year old Carstaigo Fields and charged him with murder. It's a sad ending but neighbors like Carla Dean are at least glad to know the suspect is off the streets.

Dean says,"As a mother myself, I would want to know who done it and I would want some type of closure."

Fields is being held at the Franklin County Regional Jail. Police are continuing to investigate the murder and say additional arrests are possible.

Anyone with information is asked to call Frankfort Police.