LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Scenes of bloodshed and heartache have unfolded in Louisville in the past two weeks, and that violence is prompting calls for solutions. 

The NAACP and Louisville Urban League shared similar messages Thursday about how to combat recent gun violence in the city. 

"We lost 160 people to homicides last year. Sixty of the people were under the age of 18," said Anthony Smith, the executive director of Cities United. "We need to do something differently as a city, as a state and as a country, if we want to make sure people live another day."

For years, Louisville has dealt with the effects of gun violence said Lyndon Pryor, the interim president and CEO Louisville Urban League.

"The data is clear. Guns are costing us lives, and if that doesn't matter to you, they are costing us money," Pryor said.

The Louisville Urban League and the local NAACP challenged elected officials to do more.

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Raoul Cunningham, the president of the Louisville branch of the NAACP. (WDRB Image) April 20, 2023

"Bills will have to be passed to ban automatic weapons in the state of Kentucky," said Raoul Cunningham, the president of the Louisville branch of the NAACP.

Cunningham called on gubernatorial candidates and candidates running for attorney general to make their position on gun laws clear.

In a separate setting, the Louisville Urban League announced four steps it plans to address violence.

Four action items presented on Thursday are aimed at helping Louisville move on after two mass shootings including changing the narrative, pursuing the data, addressing policy and investing in health and wellbeing. 

Lyndon Pryor is the interim president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League.

"All of these things are connected," said Pryor. "We don't have to live like this. It does not have to be the reality. We choose to live like this, and at some point, we have to choose differently."

The Louisville Urban League also pushed for Metro Council to act on areas that state legislators refuse to touch, like prevention funding and other strategies to stop the violence.

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Louisville Urban League interim president and CEO Lyndon Pryor. (WDRB Image) April 20, 2023

The Community Foundation of Louisville is partnering with the National Compassion Fund (NCF) to establish three funds for survivors of gun violence in Louisville. The funds will give cash payments to survivors of mass casualty crimes, which the foundation defines as non-domestic violence crimes with four or more people killed or wounded, excluding the perpetrator. 

Funds have been set up for two recent mass shootings in Louisville including the recent Old National Bank mass shooting on April 10 where five people were killed and eight injured. The foundation said 100% of contributions will go to help survivors of those who died and those directly impacted by the violence.

The second fund will help victims of the Chickasaw Park mass shooting on April 15 where two people were killed and four injured. The money raised will go to victims and survivors of the violence.

A third fund will support nonprofits that help survivors of gun violence including mental health support, medical treatment, funeral assistance, living with long-term injuries, housing stability and survivors' rights advocacy.

The foundation is asking for donations by June 30, 2023, to award grants through a grant process to be announced no later than June 1, 2023.

The Community Foundation of Louisville is also hoping for support for its Community Safety and Healing Fund (CSHF) Gun Violence Reduction Initiative. The effort will give grants to nonprofits working to reduce gun violence intervention, prevention and advocacy efforts.

For more information or to make a donation, click here.  

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