LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A man is dead and three other men are in critical condition after a shooting in the Russell neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, according to Louisville Metro Police.

LMPD said the call came in around 12:30 p.m. for the area of South 12th Street and West Muhammad Ali Boulevard. Witnesses said they heard several gunshots and ran for cover.

"It was a big open sound that sounded like cannons ... it was six shots," Howardetta Holbrook, who was in the area at the time, said.

Police said once on scene they found four men who had been shot. One of the victims was pronounced deceased on the scene and three other men were taken to the hospital with critical injuries.

"So frustrating, in broad daylight, you have individuals out here working," LMPD Lt. Col. Steve Healey said. "You have two schools in close proximity and you have individuals that feel comfortable enough to try to take someone's life, four people's lives."

LMPD's Homicide Unit is investigating.

"It is still too early to tell exactly why they were here or if they lived in the area," LMPD Spokesman Dwight Mitchell said. "Obviously this is in broad daylight and we strongly believe somebody saw something."

Those working to turn the Russell neighborhood around called Wednesday's violence a step backward.

Former NFL lineman turned community activist Jamon Brown grew up in the neighborhood. Through his foundation, Brown works to help Louisville teens struggling with violence, poverty and/or homelessness. He said he was devastated when he heard about Wednesday's shooting.

"I know it's hit everybody in the gut, let alone the families that have been struck with the loss," he said. "It's hard to really bring into words." 

There have been many efforts to revitalize west Louisville in recent years, specifically the Russell neighborhood. The shooting happened in an area that has seen a lot of revitalization over the years.

Right now, there are efforts underway to turn vacant buildings into affordable housing, housing for seniors and retail spaces. But all of that progress comes to a grinding halt if the area continues to have a bad reputation of being unsafe.

Brown said he is still actively working to bring an empowerment center to west Louisville. His goal is to offer teens a place where they can participate in sports, music programs, and other activities to keep them busy. He said that was the secret to his own success.

"There are better ways to solving problems. You know, we've got to create more gateways and access points in those areas to help them mitigate those problems," said Brown. "My biggest thing is, when I was a child, I acted like a child. And a lot of these kids are being introduced to things sooner than they need and they don't know how to handle their problems."

Through his foundation, he works to help Louisville teens struggling with violence, poverty and homelessness.

Brown said he and others will use Wednesday's tragedy as motivation to keep fighting for better opportunities for all Louisville kids. He also points out that violence in the community is widespread and isn't just happening in the Russell neighborhood. He said it's a community problem that will require the entire Louisville community to fix it.

"This is something that is everyone's problem," he said. "We can say this happened in Russell, and it did, but when we look at the numbers, these are happening in different areas all over the city and it's involving the youth."

Anyone with information about the shooting can call the LMPD tip line at 502-574-LMPD (5673) or utilize the online crime tip portal.

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