LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The latest data from the Louisville Metro Police Department shows there have been at least 88 homicides this year in Louisville, including several since last Monday.

While the overall number of homicides is down some compared to the same time last year, those who see the effects of this violence first-hand said it's very difficult to see on a daily basis. 

"It's hard. This is our city. This is where we live. This is home," said Dr. Keith Miller, a trauma surgeon with UofL Health. "I think if you would've said five years ago that we were going to see the number of injuries and fatalities that we do as a result of firearm injuries today, I wouldn't have believed you."

Christopher 2X, community activist and executive director of the Game Changers organization, said in nearly every month since January 2020, there have been at least 10 homicides in Louisville. 

"Only two months of that whole timeframe that we did not have double digit numbers," said 2X, noting most recently that February 2022 ended with nine homicides.

"Unless a phenomenon occurs, we're going into triple-digit homicides for the third straight year. Metro Louisville has never been in that space before."

Miller and 2X both work with the Future Healers program, helping kids in the community. According to UofL Health, the program works with city's youth most impacted by gun violence and introduces kids to the field of medicine as they navigate trauma. Miller said other programs like Group Violence Intervention and organizations like the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods are working to create preventative layers that will decrease violence in the community. 

"The effort going into it now is worth it for every life that's saved or every reduction in injuries and fatalities that we're seeing," Miller said. "But we're still seeing them on a daily basis, so that tells us there's more work to be done."

At least seven homicides have been reported since last Monday. Those include:

  • June 27: Double homicide in the Russell neighborhood
  • June 30: Two men found dead in an apartment near Oxmoor Center
  • June 30: One person shot and killed in the Portland neighborhood
  • July 2: Juvenile shot and killed in the Park Hill neighborhood
  • July 2: Man killed in the California neighborhood 

LMPD arrested Elvis Anderson, 58, in relation to the July 2 incident in the California neighborhood and charged him with murder and two counts of assault.

Anyone with information about a crime is asked to call the anonymous police tip line at 574-LMPD.

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