LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There has been a dramatic increase in violence in Louisville since the COVID-19 shutdown began in early March.
On Thursday, there were three homicides in about three hours, continuing a disturbing trend.
“The consensus was that the shutdown would probably start a process of a tick-down in violent shootings, totally opposite of what has happened.” said Christopher 2X, founder of the anti-violence organization, Game Changers.
Game Changers tracks the number of shooting incidents in Louisville and reports there have been 60 shootings since March 6 when the shutdown began. Seventeen people have died.
That compares to 19 shootings and seven deaths over the same period in 2019.
2X said many young people are simply not taking the virus seriously, and with school not in normal session, there is more time and opportunity to act on old feuds.
“They totally dismiss the virus out of their minds,” he said. “And whatever drives them as far as the motive for shooting, that's what drives them. That's what possesses them, and that's why we're seeing all this gunfire.”
Metro Council President David James, a former police officer, said the virus has also caused the Louisville Metro Police Department to change its rules of engagement.
“The bad guys understand that the police have been told not to engage in certain situations, and so we have a spike in crime,” he said.
James said he is concerned that the city's budget crisis, caused by the shutdown and the loss of tax revenue, will force cuts in essential services, including police.
“It's going to affect public safety and the way that we address it,” he said.
James joined Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer in calling on the federal government to provide funds that can be used to help shore up city budgets.
Louisville has received $130 million in federal funds for expenses directly related to fighting the coronavirus, but those dollars cannot be applied to regular operating expenses.
“We have to pay our professionals that provide those services," James said. "If we don’t have the money to pay them because the federal government isn’t assisting us, then that only leaves one option."
2X said if nothing changes, the violence could continue to be a deadly side effect of COVID-19.
“It could be a long, hot summer,” he said.
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