Is the leadership in denial? "Fischer said "in Louisville, like any American city, the word gang is a charged word." He said Louisville does not have gangs like those reported in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. "We have not had that level of organized criminal activity in our town," Fischer said." "Conrad said a specific connection between the homicides and gang activity cannot be made. However, those youth gangs, Conrad said, are related to the non-deadly shootings the Metro has had this year."