LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A heartbreaking trend has a family mourning the life of a woman and praying a child will recover.
Investigators are working to solve the tragic shooting that took place at Dr. W.J. Hodge Street and West Oak Street on Saturday.
The woman’s death not only adds to a record number of homicides in the community in 2020 which now total 151.
Christopher 2X and other advocates point out she’s the 30th woman killed in Louisville as well.
Since the beginning of November, at least four women have been shot to death.
2X and his organization Game Changers try to change hearts and minds in communities most at risk but points out that shootings are taking place in more neighborhoods this year.
He sees it as more than just turf issues, blaming social media disputes for some of the killings.
The violence toward women, he says, is particularly of note.
“The cycle of anger has escalated and the sanctity of life that at least you might have thought of in previous years was at least on the table about women and children has totally been thrown out the door in 2020,” 2X said. “What do you blame that on? More hardened hearts and enraged minds who don't care about who's in harm’s way anymore – that’s the only way you can nail it down to.”
2X thought the statistics would nosedive with COVID-19 and a renewed focus on social justice.
Instead bullets have ripped through more neighborhoods and he and others are left to ponder how to reach those most likely to take a life, and whether intervening in high school or middle school will solve the problem.
“That theory is almost thrown out the door a little bit… we have to start intervening at the elementary school level now to be quite frank with you,” he said.
Asked whether he ever feels like throwing up his hands and giving up 2x answered that was not an option.
He encourages those concerned to get more involved, especially in school and after school activities to become an example to those struggling to see the tragic domino effect of violent actions.
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