LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In his first weeks in office, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has repeatedly promised conversations with community leaders to find solutions to the city's staggering violent crime.
On Tuesday night, he heard directly from those impacted by it.
The support group Mothers of Murdered Sons & Daughters of Kentucky (M.O.M.S.) invited Greenberg to join their bi-monthly meeting at a community center in the Parkland neighborhood to listen to their struggles and concerns.
In what was an intimate setting with a couple dozen grieving mothers, they shared their stories.
"I still got to carry this, every day I got to carry this," said Kimberly Bonner, whose 19-year-old son Bryant Hawkins was shot and killed in Sept. 2022.
Kelaiah Perry also spoke. Her son, 15-year-old Ja'Maury Johnson, was found shot and killed at Chickasaw Park just before Christmas last year.
Perry had filed three missing person's reports the day prior.
"He was my protector, he was my daughter's protector," Perry said. "I'm going to be his voice to get the justice that my son deserves."
Some of these moms have seen arrests made in their cases. For many others, suspects remain at large.
"You hear more about homicides, homicides, homicides, shootings," said Kenneth Forbes, whose son was killed in a shooting in 2012.
Greenberg heard their demands for change to the justice system, better communication with detectives and early intervention in kids lives.
"They're ending up with guns and killing other kids, so we need to start early in school, in community centers," Greenberg said. "I'll reach out to Dr. Pollio about that."
Greenberg promised action, specifically in getting families more consistent responses from detectives working cases.
"Even if there aren't answers, even if there aren't leads, even if there aren't suspects, you all deserve a call back," Greenberg said. "I can assure you, I will be talking to our chief of police about it immediately."
Perry tells me she's hopeful the gesture wasn't just for show, optimistic the Mayor's commitment to preventing more violent deaths yields true results.
The M.O.M.S. support group meets twice a month at the ACE Place (headquarters of the ACE Project) in the Parkland neighborhood. If you'd like to join the conversation, click here.
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