LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Despite all of the headlines about juveniles committing crimes, the Louisville Metro Police Department says the numbers are actually trending down. 

So far in 2025, LMPD said Louisville has recorded 10 homicide victims under 18 years old, compared to 11 this time last year. The drop is even more significant when it comes to nonfatal shootings of minors, with 33 victims this year compared to 44 in 2024.

In total, that's 12 fewer teens and children who were the victims of gun violence. LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said he's also aware that juveniles have been involved in recent thefts and violent crimes. LMPD said the following numbers represent known juvenile offenders that have been charged as of data from July 21:

  • 2023: 4
  • 2024: 7
  • 2025: 2

As for punishing the young offenders, Humphrey said he doesn't want to see any child enter the criminal justice system, but knows it happens often.

"We need to do a better job—as a society, as a community—of making sure that people can survive bad decisions," Humphrey said. "A bad decision at 15 shouldn't cost your life, but we also have to face the reality that it often does, and there have to be consequences to that."

Humphrey said any crime involving a minor is concerning, and believes police enforcement alone won't fix youth gun violence.

That's why Humphrey is once again calling for parents and the whole community to take accountability because the solution starts at home.

"Ultimately, it is the parents' and the community's responsibility to take care of this," Humphrey said in another news briefing two weeks ago. "You need to know where your kids are. If I had a mechanism to deal with parents better, whose kids commit violent crimes or are caught in doing these types of crimes, I would prosecute parents all day long."

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