Police investigating numerous shootings on Watterson Expressway in past 12 months

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two shootings this month have taken place on the Watterson Expressway, according to information from Louisville Metro Police.

The first incident on Interstate 264 happened in early January. According to LMPD, road rage is likely the cause of the shooting. The victim was "alert and conscious" when he was taken to the hospital. Police say he was shot in the arm.

Then over the weekend, there was another shooting on the Watterson. Police say a car was shot at while on the entrance ramp to Interstate 264 west at Poplar Level Road.

No one in the vehicle was hit by gunfire but one of the occupants of the car was injured by flying glass during the shooting. They were treated for "superficial wounds" at Norton Audubon Hospital, according to LMPD.

"The shootings on the interstate that we have seen, have, a lot of times, there have been some motivation," said LMPD Officer Beth Ruoff. "Whether they be road rage or targeted situation, very rarely are they random."

Including the two this month, there have been at least six shootings on the Watterson in the past 12 months.

One was in January of 2021, when LMPD says a male driver was shot near the Breckenridge Lane exit. He was taken to the hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening. LMPD did not provide details on what may have led up to the shooting.

In Sept. 2021, a man was shot and killed on the Watterson. He was later identified as Terry Smith Jr., 26, of Pleasure Ridge Park.

Less than two months later, another deadly shooting on the Watterson. This one, claiming the life of a 37-year-old father, Freddie O'Bannon. In the same incident, an LMPD officer was shot and survived.

In late November, Shively Police opened an investigation after a pregnant woman was shot on I-264. According to a news release from the Shively Police Department, the woman, who was a passenger in the vehicle driven by a male, was hit by gunshots fired from a vehicle that pulled up next to her vehicle.

LMPD has a message for anyone behind the trigger in these situations:

"If you're shooting from a moving vehicle it is potentially disastrous," said Ruoff. "Our detectives are working diligently to solve these cases of any of these shootings that have occurred, particularly these types of situations."

Ruoff said shootings on interstates make up a small percentage of the city's overall shootings and homicides.

A statement from Jessica Wethington with Mayor Greg Fischer's office said public safety is the top priority.

"We are intently focused on reducing gun violence and homicides," Wethington said. "That includes implementing our six-pillar, whole-of-government approach to public safety, launching programs such as Group Violence Intervention and the 911 deflection model to create a safer city, and increasing unprecedented investments in our violence prevention efforts from $5 million to $19 million."

Last year there were also shootings on I-64 and the Gene Snyder.

Anyone with any information involving these shootings is asked to call LMPD's anonymous tip line at (502) 574-5673 or submit information online.

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