Louisville homicides eclipse total from 2019 and it’s only August

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Twelve dead in just the first 10 days of August pushed Louisville’s homicide number to 93, surpassing the total for all of 2019. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer described Louisville’s continuing trend of deadly violence as “very alarming.”

“We need families involved and the community involved to come together to help stamp out violence. At the end of the day it’s a community response,” Fischer said as he called on parents to help.

“If your son, it’s usually guys that are involved with this, has an illegal weapon or a weapon, know that this is a heightened time of tension in the city that leads to the shootings and homicides that we’re seeing.”

Other cities in the region are struggling with their own spikes. At the end of June, Chicago homicides were reported up 50%, Indianapolis up 50% and Cincinnati up 65% where totals reached 50 dead. Less than a month and a half later, as of Monday morning, Louisville had 93 dead.

“The shootings that are occurring at an alarming volume right now, that’s clear evidence that individuals who partake in shootings don’t fear consequences,” anti-violence activist Christopher 2x said.

Louisville Metro Police Department spokeswoman Jessie Halladay released a statement that in part blamed the violence on “...a lack of trust between police and some of those they serve right now, which results in less information sharing from victims and witnesses. But we absolutely need that help to address this spike in violence, and we must find a way to work together.”

“The historic level of carnage is unacceptable and must be addressed with a sense of urgency,” U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said in a statement. “As a city we have failed to protect the vulnerable neighborhoods that are primarily losing their sons and daughters to these shootings.”

Coleman said new steps will be announced soon “to keep all Louisvillians safe.”

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