LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While you may be hearing about the impacts of those killed in shootings this year at a record pace, the chief of surgery at the University of Louisville Hospital emergency room warns the effects of non-fatal shootings are staggering.
On a recent Tuesday, Dr. J. David Richardson said doctors at UofL operated on nine gunshot wound victims. On another day, he explained, they had 25 gunshot victims and less COVID-19 patients.
Richardson made that point during a moment delayed for a year by the pandemic.
Senator Rand Paul presented Game Changers' Christopher 2X with a copy of the Congressional Record for the activist's report on violence and learning.
Those involved described the importance of a Group Violence Intervention approach and we learned the Game Changers report is being taken up by others looking to protect children and promote their education.
“It does have some legs to it and we're excited about this new chance to put this in the classrooms along with academics and trying to let kids know that this is a public health crisis," said Christopher 2X
It’s an issue Senator Paul has worked on with Christopher 2X for a decade.
"The answers aren't always easy," Sen. Paul said. “How do you fix violence in Louisville? How do you fix violence in America? It' not like something just happened yesterday. This is an ongoing problem, but I think we need people with optimism and I think Chris has that optimism.”
Christopher 2X admits that, this year, optimism is an effort in itself but he remains hopeful that the team behind him will make strides. The future of children is riding on it.
Senator Paul also emphasized the importance of second chances and justice reform and, on that note, Christopher 2X thanked the senator and his wife for their effort on his recent presidential pardon insisting that he can use it to instill hope in others.
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