LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — After a Friday morning shooting at Waterfront Park in Louisville left a man dead near a children's play area, community members say they want to see change.
"As a whole, we have to do better. And people have to want more," said William Wright.
During the day, the park is riddled with kids and faint laughter echoes throughout the green space. But at 3 a.m. Friday, the park was turned upside down with gunshots that left a man dead.
The incident left Wright lost for words.
"I don't, I don't know. It just, it just makes you wonder why people think that it's OK to do this kind of stuff, you know? I'm not sure, but I don't know," he said.
According to Louisville Metro Police, the man was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the kids water park area. He was transported to University of Louisville Hospital where he later died.
Mayor Craig Greenberg said LMPD has officers assigned to the area at varying times of the day.
"This happened when nobody was there, but we were able to respond quickly. Unfortunately, it's too late in this case," Greenberg said Friday.
The city is working with the police department, considering ways to increase safety near the Big Four Bridge and the park area.
LMPD said it will release details about those changes in the coming weeks.
"There's too many areas where this kind of stuff is going on at. Between Bardstown Road, downtown here, down at the Waterfront, it's almost like they just migrate," said Wright.
People like Duff Griffen say they just take precautions where they can.
"I would definitely pick and choose the time," Griffen said. "I would come down with my family. In the evenings, when you've got special events, I think you feel a little bit more comfortable."
Even when moving with caution, Wright says you can sometimes just be at the wrong place at the wrong time. He thinks the city may have to resort to drastic measures, like implementing curfews. To him, taking no action is the worst action.
WDRB asked Wright if he thought it would benefit the city to completely shut down certain areas after a certain time.
"If people keep doing the stuff that they're doing? You know, absolutely," he said. "We can't keep allowing that, this kind of stuff to happen. And if people don't like the idea of stuff like that, then another option is to stop the nonsense. You know? That's another option as well. Is to cut it out."
LMPD's Homicide Unit is investigating Friday morning's shooting, but has no suspects and has made no arrests.
Anyone with information in this or any other case is encouraged to call LMPD's anonymous Crime Tip Line at (502) 574-LMPD (5673). Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the department's online Crime Tip Portal by clicking here.
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