LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville council member is starting a paid internship in honor of a 16-year-old Eastern High School student killed while waiting at his bus stop in the Russell neighborhood.
Jecorey Arthur represents District 4, an area that includes the Dr. W.J. Hodge and Chestnut Street intersection where Tyree Smith was shot and killed. In Smith's honor, Arthur announced a paid internship for a teenager in the district.
Arthur said the program will focus on community engagement, with interns working directly with Arthur and legislative assistant Brianna Wright. The program is after school, and will not interfere with classes.
Anyone interested is asked to fill out an interest form explaining why they want to intern and what subjects interest them. The form can be found here.
Directly after Smith's death, Arthur spoke alongside community leaders, expressing his anger with the drive-by shooting.
"Everybody's on the stage drying their tears and talking about how sad they are," Arthur said. "And there's a place for being sad, but I'm mad. I'm mad because what we have talked about today is something that we're talking about over and over and over and over."
The council member encouraged the community to hold their neighbors accountable and get involved in bettering the city.
"Are you involved in some capacity? Whether that's a neighborhood association, whether that's your church, whether that is some sort of political advocacy group, whether it's a social group of friends, are you involved," Arthur said.
Smith's family continues to push for answers as local authorities search for suspects involved in the shooting. A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
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