LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) – Steven Mayes is a father of four young children. Their mother is trying to understand his death and worries about meeting the needs of his family.

“They took everything from me, they took my life like my heart and my soul,” said the mother of his children Leanora Lilly said.

It is yet another emotional cry from a heartbroken family of a Lexington father.

“Like I just what they realize what they took away from his kids, his family, his mom like he is his momma’s baby,” Lilly said.

Mayes was gunned down Friday near the 1000 block of Accord Drive it is the city’s 24 homicide of 2022. Leanora said Mayes’ death will have a lasting impact on his children.

“With having multiple kids and then him being the only one we could call on when we need something for them and he is not here anymore, I just want to make sure all of his kids are straight so they do not have to worry about anything just less of a burden,” Lilly said.

His daughter said the gunman robbed her of the father and daughter experiences she longed for but will never get to have.

“You did not think about it in that second and that second changed my life forever, my dad will not even see me go to prom or get married or nothing,” said his daughter A’Shari Mayes said.

Mayes was one of two men who was shot and killed within a 48-hour span in Lexington. The other 33-year-old Edward Studvent was killed near Hedgewood court.

“Think before you shoot because the second, you took the life in a second but now we have to deal with pain for a long time,”  A’shari said.

Lexington police said they believe they have identified everyone involved in the shootings and there is no threat to the public. No other details have been released.

Lilly has created a GoFundMe to support the family.