Slight decrease in Louisville's homicides in 2023 brings little reprieve to those still mourning

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Another year in Louisville will end with triple-digit homicides. Although at this point 2023 is seeing a slight decrease compared to 2022, families impacted by the violence said it's still happening far too often.

The Gwynn family lost their son, Christian, when he was shot and killed on his way home in December 2019. Less than two years later, their daughter, Victoria was hit by gunfire at Ballard Park.

She lived, but her friend, Dejuan Coward, died.

"Louisville, we need to come together man, it's disheartening. It hurts every year," said Navada Gwynn, Christian and Victoria's father.

Krista Gwynn, the children's mother, said even those who survive shootings are impacted by what happens to them, including her daughter, Victoria.

"They may have survived their horrific ordeal, but a part of them died that day they were hurt and wounded," said Krista Gwynn.

Louisville Metro Police said department data show homicides increased from 89 in 2019 to 168 in 2020. Ever since, that number has remained in the triple digits.

2018: 80
2019: 89
2020: 168
2021: 178
2022: 157

With just days left in 2023, LMPD has investigated 150 criminal homicides this year.

"I think the more the community hears the collective trauma that families have had to endure and suffer, maybe, maybe that motivates others from walking away from violence, resolving conflict, or telling us what happened," Maj. Arnold Rivera, a commander in LMPD's Major Crimes Division, said Wednesday.

So far this year, LMPD said 403 people have survived shootings. There were a total of 440 non-fatal shootings in 2022, according to the department. This year, LMPD created a Non-Fatal Shooting Unit to specifically dig into these types of cases as a dedicated unit of specialists.

"It has assisted us in centralizing that information but also sharing that information," said Rivera.

He said clearance rates have been trending upward in the last several months. He not only attributes that to the hard work of those within LMPD, but also the initiatives and support from the mayor's office, chief's staff, city, state, and federal partners, as well as the community.

"The community is fed up," said Rivera. "In several recent cases, at least in the last few months, our investigators have received crucial information that has led to the solving of violent crimes."

Rivera said another tool that's assisted LMPD this year is the funding for DNA testing. He said LMPD is asking Metro Council to increase that funding in 2024.

"That has allowed our investigators to submit evidence to DNA labs, get a faster turn-around time, and bring justice to the families," he said.

Although some victims may survive their physical wounds, the impacts of the violent events can be lasting. UofL Health has a team of Community Health Workers guiding patients through life after trauma.

UofL Hospital says it has seen 277 gunshot wound assault patients this year, a number that's down from the previous three years.

Those at the hospital said even one is too many, especially when the injuries are preventable.

"We try to provide services that support the whole patient and the family, not only inside the hospital but once they leave," said Kiara James, a supervisor for the Community Health Workers.

UofL Health said when the program started in 2015, 5% of patients accepted these services. Today, 60% accept short-term services, and 30% accept long-term services.

LMPD tracks its crime data publicly in a new way this year. The Louisville Metro Gun Violence Dashboard, which launched last month, has been a year-long project between the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods and LMPD. It is funded by a $100,000 national grant from Everytown for Safety Support Fund.

LMPD said the dashboard uses the department's record management to show a variety of reporting elements like maps and trends, where shots are fired, along with where homicides and non-fatal shootings happen. The data will go back all the way to 2010, when there were 54 homicides in that year.

Below is a list of 2023 homicides broken down by month:

January: 18
February: 10
March: 7
April: 22
May: 12
June: 13
July: 11
August: 14
September: 12
October: 12
November: 8
December: 11 (as of Dec. 27)

And although the loss of life in Louisville is slightly down compared to this time last year, that small of a difference isn't giving the Gwynn family any hope.

Instead they hope the community will speak out.

"When is it going to end?" Navada Gwynn said. "We don't want to blame it on the administration. The administration is doing as much as they can. The community needs to step up, do their part, so we can complete the connection, complete the chain."

And looking ahead to 2024?

"Louisville we gotta do better," Krista Gwynn said.

In her son's case, a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison earlier this year. The family said no one has been arrested yet in connection to the shooting that injured Victoria.

"As I sat down to discuss the coming year with my commanders and the commanders in the Non-Fatal Shooting squad, of course everyone wants to clear more cases, bring justice to everyone. If we've got one case that is unsolved, that's one too many. So our goal is always to solve these violent crimes and bring the justice to the families," said Rivera.

He went on to say there's also a continued plea to the community.

"The silence that we see often times is condoning that violence. Somebody somewhere knows who perpetrated a crime," he said. "And that doesn't mean you don't love that person. You can still love them. You just can't get behind what they did. And we need more people to continue to step up and do the right thing and help us bring justice to the community."

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