After shootings over the weekend left four people dead and two others hospitalized, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg promises to release information on new strategies to curb gun violence.
At a press conference Tuesday, Greenberg called the city's murder rate “unacceptable.” He said his office is working with the Louisville Metro Police Department's new interim chief, Paul Humphrey, to target people involved in gangs.
“A lot of this is due to the gang activity that's going on in our city right now, so we've been trying to increase partnerships with our partners at the state and federal level and ask them how we can do more together and hold accountable the people we believe are responsible for some of this activity,” he said.
Greenberg said he also wants to see tough penalties for people “who commit the most heinous crimes in our city,” and he is working with the Jefferson County Attorney's Office and District Attorney to ensure that happens.
He said he would make a statement “very soon” to present to citizens the new approaches the authorities are taking to deal with the crisis.
Despite increased funding for the LMPD and anti-gun violence programs in recent years, the number of murders in Louisville has remained flat at best. So far this year, 106 people have been murdered in Louisville, a 6% increase from the same period last year.
Louisville bucks the national trend
A survey released earlier this month by the Major Cities Chiefs Association found that violent crime is declining in most of the United States' largest cities.
The survey examined murders, rapes and robberies in 65 major metropolitan areas. Only in 15 cities, including Louisville, did the number of murders increase in the first half of the year.
According to the MCCA survey, there are some areas where Louisville has made progress. The organization noted that other types of violent crime have decreased compared to the same period last year.
As of June 30, reports of sexual assault fell 65%, from 112 to 39. Reports of robbery and aggravated assault also fell by about 10% compared to the same time in 2023, according to the report.
During Tuesday's press conference, Greenberg noted that the number of non-fatal shootings was down from last year, but said that was “no reason to celebrate.”
According to the city's gun violence dashboard, Louisville has seen 229 nonfatal shootings so far, compared to 240 during the same period last year, a 4.5% decrease.
Nationally, violent crime is at one of its lowest levels in 50 years, yet public perceptions of crime do not match the data. A Gallup poll released in November found that three-quarters of Americans believe crime is increasing, and 63 percent say the country's crime problem is extremely or very serious.
One reason for this discrepancy, at least in Louisville, may be that there are still many more shootings and murders there than before the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020.
While the number of non-fatal shootings may be declining, it is still 35% higher than at the same time in 2019. Likewise, there were 55 more murders last year than the year before the pandemic.
New focus on late-night locations
Since Greenberg took office last year, city officials have given bars and restaurants more responsibility to ensure the safety of their patrons and the public.
Louisville Metro ABC, which is responsible for regulating liquor-licensed establishments, has launched numerous investigations into nightspots where shootings have occurred.
In July, the Afrokanza bar on Bardstown Road closed its doors following an investigation by ABC officials. In July 2023, three people were shot outside Afrokanza and neighbors had filed several complaints with the city government about the establishment.
A nearby restaurant, Cafe 360, also announced in March that it would “voluntarily surrender” its liquor license with extended hours after 21-year-old Theodore Brown was killed in the business.
Louisville City Council member Ben Reno-Weber, 8th District Council member who represents the Bardstown Road area, said at a news conference last week that ABC officers and LMPD will continue to proactively enforce the regulations in the city's entertainment districts. He said Louisville Metro also needs to increase its funding for programs such as Kentuckiana Works, Gun Violence Intervention and YouthBuild.
“When young people have no hope, they are vulnerable to violence in general and especially to gang violence,” says Reno-Weber.
He said gun violence in Louisville is the result of past failures to invest in programs and services to support children and families.
