LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington is seeing a record-breaking year for homicides, with many relating to domestic violence incidents.

As the end of the year nears, conversations on the city’s increasing gun violence are continuing at the downtown district’s community-based forum. 

What You Need To Know

  • According to the Lexington Police Department, there have been up to 40 homicides this year

  • Mothers of gun violence victims, neighbors, and others in Lexington are looking for answers

  • The community is currently challenging record-high rates related to homicides and or domestic violence

  • Leaders say they are starting with the youth

This marks the third time the community leaders are meeting directly with the people of Lexington in their various districts.

Listening to their concerns of the city’s downtown district and beyond is One Lexington’s Devine Carama, council member Hannah LeGris, the Lexington Police Department, and other advocates like teachers and social workers.

“At the sessions, you have people who may come from an affluent background who have never been impacted by gun violence living in the same district as underserved families who have been heavily impacted by gun violence who are all trying to coexist together,” Carama said. “And so at these forums, you get everything. You get genuine fear and questions. But then you also get people who have lost children.“

Some of those concerns include the spike in homicide rates, violence at gas stations, sounds of gunshots and more in residential areas. Several people in the audience shared their own experiences with losing children to gun violence in the city and how justice is needed. 

A mother and now advocate for change in the city, Vicky Ritter says there’s room for change in Lexington. “There is a place for all the people to come to the table even if you have a past criminal history because we understand that in our community.”

However, Ritter said the decision is up to the individual. “You can’t be inherently in and out. You have to be either in or out.”

Ritter has lived in the city for over 25 years and says her son has also been affected by the increase in violence.

“Until we drive that message home, it’s not going to do us any good because I am the mom who is in the waiting pool, I am the one who is looking to see where my son is going to go because my son took advantage of all these programs. I was the mother who was there, I’m an educated mother, a two-parent home, but my son is still falling victim to this.” Ritter said.

Several mothers of shooting victims were in attendance, including the mother of 17-year-old Berkley Parks, who lost his life to gun violence in 2021.

The city surpassed record-breaking homicide rates tied to domestic violence since last year.

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