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Louisville mayor marks Gun Violence Survivors Day, announces first community conversation

Those impacted shared stories of hope, but also gave perspective on how violence like this impacts the mental and physical health of the community.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Craig Greenberg is bringing awareness to the amount of gun violence seen around the U.S. and in our local community.

On Monday, he met with those whose lives have been changed by gun violence.

They shared stories of hope, but also gave perspective on how violence like this impacts the mental and physical health of the community.

“We know that for every time someone enters a hospital with a gunshot wound, the likelihood that they’ll experience an early death due to gun violence increases. In fact, 20% of people who enter a hospital due to a gunshot wound will die within five years. Caring for survivors provides an opportunity to prevent future gun violence in our city,” Whitney Austin, a gun violence survivor said.

Austin was shot 12 times when a gunman went on a shooting spree in the lobby of Fifth Third Bank headquarters in Cincinnati in 2018.

She survived the incident, and it led her to create “Whitney Strong” – an organization dedicated to reducing gun violence and finding solutions.

Credit: WHAS-TV
Whitney Austin speaks during Gun Violence Survivors Day. Austin survived after being shot 12 times in the lobby of Fifth Third Bank's headquarters in Cincinnati in 2018.

Mayor Greenberg is inviting those interested in helping to reduce gun crimes in Louisville to participate in his first Community Conversation on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.

It will take place at the Muhammad Ali Center.

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