Metro leaders say plans to reduce city’s growing homicide rate will soon go into effect
By Munashe Kwangwari
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — On Jan. 3, LMPD officers were called near the corner of Northwestern Parkway and Bank Street on reports of a shooting. It was there they found Jakia Holt.
She was rushed to the hospital in an attempt to save her life.
According to her family, after getting to UofL hospital, she was placed on life-saving machines. On Saturday, she was taken off life support and died.
“It breaks my heart every single time I see that one of our citizens have been killed to senseless gun violence,” said metro council president, David James.
James said stories like these are becoming way too frequent.
“I was at a grocery store two days ago, and a woman walked up to me and told me that her son had been killed the day before,” said James. “It just took the air right out of me.”
He said the worst part about that story was thinking of how many other parents, just in these past few years, can say the same. However, he said the city is taking steps to make sure not many more can.
“We fully funded the mayor’s initiatives for anti-violence, and gun violence reduction, and really put money and backing behind GVI,” James said.
GVI or gun violence intervention is a strategy cities all over the country have used to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and their communities.
The way it works is community leaders identify their area’s most violent offenders.
Then, together with police, they have a meeting where the offenders are told they will face hard consequences unless they quit doing crimes.
If the offender wishes to change their life, they are then connected with social service providers who provide them with resources, training, etc. to be able to live a life without violence.
It’s a method that’s proven to have reduced homicide rates in Oakland, Chicago, Detroit and New Orleans.
He said the metro initially introduced the program in 2020, but it since has been unsuccessful. Now with newly added allocated funds, he said it has the ability to make an immediate impact.
“GVI will work,” said James. “But operationally and administratively, it’s very important that we as the city of Louisville give it all the resources that it needs in order to be able to work.”
Until it produces some results, he said everyone will need to step up, as recent evidence has shown no community is immune.
“We all play a role in trying to make things better,” James said.
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