LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Gun violence was a huge concern in 2020. Last year was the deadliest on record in Louisville with more than 170 homicides and nearly 600 people hurt.
The worries from last year have carried over into 2021, but a local organization is trying to combat the violence and make Louisville a safer city.
No More Red Dots was established in 2011 and was named after the red dots used by Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) to track crimes in the city. The organization is made up of 10 people who are trained to mediate, intervene and de-escalate potentially violent situations.
Dr. Eddie Woods, the CEO of No More Red Dots, Inc., said that the organization's strategies have been very effective.
"When you see people that you've been working with for 18 years, and you know they were marked for death or had retaliation on their minds - then you know you're doing something right," Dr. Woods said.
The work of No More Red Dots may go unnoticed, Dr. Woods said, because "it's very difficult to measure what doesn't happen."
What has happened in Louisville is a deadly start to the new year. According to LMPD, there have been 23 homicides and 68 criminal shootings so far in 2021. That's more than double the 10 homicides by the time we saw by this time last year.
To combat those statistics, volunteers with No More Red Dots are currently working with 20 children, trying to make sure they put down the guns and pick up something else - whether it's art, music or graphic design.
To learn more about No More Red Dots or to support the organization and its effort to reduce gun violence, visit the No More Red Dots website.
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