LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Gun violence victims in Louisville are speaking out about the city’s deadliest year on record.
As of Dec. 19, there have been 184 criminal homicides. The city has already beat last year's record by 10. Out of those cases, only 66 have been closed by LMPD.
Krista Gwynn's son was killed in December 2019, and her daughter was shot earlier this year. She survived, but the friend she was with at the time died.
"Like losing a son all over again,” Gwynn said.
AunDrea Anderson lost her son and nephew on the same night in October of this year. Both men were working security at a party, when a fight broke out.
“My son got shot three times,” Anderson said. “My nephew was shot five times."
'We were not prepared mentally,” Anderson said. “My son Darius Anderson was my only child."
The pain both women feel is unimaginable, but they're trying to remain hopeful about lowering the homicide rate.
Anderson said tightening gun laws would be helpful.
"Family members are buying them for family members,” Anderson said. “Friends are buying them for friends. It should be a lot stricter."
Gwynn said a strong solution lies with working with young people.
"These children need to realize people care about them and they are loved no matter if it’s within the four walls of their home,” Gwynn said.
Christopher 2X, executive director of 2X Game Changers, has been mentoring young people for nearly 20 years.
"The days of tryna intervene in these situations in the high school years and beyond is almost dinosaur-type thinking,” 2X said.
He said the gun violence is a public health crisis, and just like with any public health crisis, you don't give up just because it seems current mitigation efforts aren't working out.
"To know where this gun play is going is not an easy, predictable thing, but at the same time to do nothing is unacceptable because you've got young people looking at the grown-ups to do something," 2X said.
Anderson is still looking for answers and urges anyone with information to come forward. The public can call 574-LMPD or visit its website - both anonymously.
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