'I still believe these are isolated incidents': Downtown leaders react after multiple violent attacks
Leaders at Louisville Downtown Partnership, the group tasked with elevating downtown, called the incidents isolated and said downtown is still safe.
After separate violent attacks in downtown Louisville early Tuesday morning, leaders with the Louisville Downtown Partnership (LDP) are urging people not to abandon the area.
"Any crime in downtown gets reported, not every crime everywhere in the city gets reported, so people are hearing more about what happens downtown," Executive Director Rebecca Fleischaker said. "I still believe these are isolated incidents, I would definitely say downtown is safe."
Early Tuesday morning Louisville Metro Police officers arrested 37-year-old Sean Coats in connection to a stabbing at Fourth Street Live!.
According to police documents, he was charged with First-Degree Assault and Attempted Murder after he attacked two victims with a knife.
Police also arrested 40-year-old Andrew Hoke Tuesday who, according to court documents, told Louisville Metro Police that he used the claw end of a hammer to beat a stranger on the sidewalk in the 300 block of West Broadway.
All three victims were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
For those working nearby, like Jennie U'Sellis at Louisville City Chiropractic, the violence doesn't come as a huge shock.
"It happens all the time, we're used to it, I've seen so much stuff, I've walked outside and seen a naked man sleeping on the sidewalk," she said.
Hoke's previous victims speak up 'I called in a wellness check'
WHAS11 spoke with two people who have Interpersonal Protective Orders (IPO) against Hoke.
"I worked with him around the corner at Connected Learning, he was my boss initially and he was my friend at one point," Hannah Cady said.
However, something shifted; he started acting strangely and slurring some of his speech.
Another former employee called for two wellness checks on Hoke.
That former employee didn't want to be named but she shared documentation of repeated harassment.
Hoke sent the two women more than a hundred emails, daily.
At first, she requested a protective order but was told she did not qualify. When Cady came forward, that changed.
Hoke has since been charged with violating an IPO, stalking, terroristic threatening and assault.
He was even under parole supervision at the time he allegedly swung the hammer Tuesday morning.
Weekend violence 'He came up from behind me'
Just last weekend, another woman said she was attacked and mugged in the same area, near 5th and Broadway outside of the Brown Hotel.
Gina Hughes, of Nashville, works in the music industry and was in town for a concert at the Palace. She and two friends were walking away from the theatre when she said someone attacked her, stealing her purse.
"He came up from behind me and reached underneath my arms and lifted me up and threw me to the ground," Hughes said.
Hughes is recovering with two black eyes, and expects she may need surgery on her knee. She heaped praise on LMPD, EMT's and even passers-by who stopped to help.
"I'm grateful and thankful that I wasn't injured more severely," she said.
Hughes said she's been to Louisville many times. While this won't stop her from visiting, she said she'll be more careful where in the city she goes.
"I've never had anything like this happen to me before, so it's a new feeling, it's a new situation and I'll just have to figure it out," she said.
Hughes said she hopes city leaders and law enforcement will take note and try to curb violent events like this.
Downtown Louisville leader reacts 'I still believe these are isolated incidents'
That's the same challenge leaders like Fleischaker with LDP are trying to bridge, making downtown a safe and attractive place to be.
"I want people to still know there are safe places to come, and to be, and to have fun, and be with people, and experience the unique things Louisville has to offer," she said.
Fleischaker said LDP is working to bring more Downtown Ambassadors to the area. She'd like to see more patrols from LMPD as well, though she acknowledged the department is short-staffed.
Fleischaker also emphasized the need for mental health support to cut down on violence.
"I think the bottom line for any downtown in America right now is we need to figure out how to work with state and federal governments to get more funding for mental health and substance abuse disorders and we need more rooms and shelters for our homeless," she said.
As of Tuesday evening, LMPD reported Hughes' case was still under investigation and no arrests had been made.
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