Man charged with murder in connection to deadly Smoketown shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A man is dead after a shooting in the Smoketown neighborhood Saturday morning, Louisville Metro Police confirmed. And now a man is facing murder charges.

Officers responded to a reported shooting in the 700 block of South Preston Street just after 11 a.m. on March 15. They arrived to find 70-year-old Michael Evans with a gunshot wound.

Despite efforts to save him, he died at the scene.

An investigation revealed a potentially involved party entered a residence two blocks over and officers secured that scene and called for support from LMPD’s SWAT team.

Just after 5:15 p.m., Dakarai McDonald was taken into custody from that residence and they believe all parties related to the incident have been accounted for. Around 11:30 p.m., LMPD said McDonald is now charged with murder, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

“Thanks to the diligent efforts of our officers and detectives, we were able to apprehend McDonald quickly,” LMPD Homicide Commander Lt. Les Skaggs said. “This fast response not only highlights the hard work of our team but also provides some measure of closure for the loved ones of Michael Evans, who tragically lost his life today. We remain fully committed to ensuring justice is served in this case.”

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