The cruising that has been allowed to continue on West Broadway has reached epidemic proportions. It is a catastrophe waiting to happen. It can no longer be glossed over as family event or some young people just having a good time.
It is a problem that has been building for years now. Our elected officials can no longer turn a blind eye to this problem. People are dying. Innocent people are being shot on the street. Murders, shootings, stabbings and rapes are holding a segment of our city in terror.
The lawless behavior can no longer be tolerated. Internet sites advertise for folks to come and party and cruise because the police won't mess with you. Police are instructed to overlook minor criminal activity, activity that would get you arrested on any other day or in any other part of town. The police are outnumbered and outgunned.
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The trouble this year started early. Hours after the Pegasus Parade ended a young man was shot and killed on Esquire Alley at 10 th Street behind Indi's Restaurant as he got our of his car. There were several fights that evening that also had to be broken up SRT Teams working the detail. Police Officers knew then that they were in for a long weekend.
On Friday night the cruising started. The combination of warm weather, large crowds, and drinking and drug activity has West Louisville ready to spark like a tinderbox. Early on a young man was shot in the neck. Several arrests on weapons charges had already taken place. Later that night a young girl from Newburg downtown to celebrate the Derby was shot in the head and killed at 21 st and Duncan. There was no end in sight as gridlock and huge crowds overwhelmed the area.
I responded to a shooting at 10 th and Broadway with many other Officers to find a 16 year old that was riding his bicycle had been shot. Lt. Carol Jeffries should be nominated for a lifesaving award. Her experience with EMS predated her Law Enforcement career. As we cut away his bloody clothes to find the wound we discovered something else. This young man was the son of a friend of ours. This kid didn't do anything but catch a stray bullet. He is damn lucky to be alive.
On Saturday after pulling 14 hour shifts Officers began arriving for round 2. By the time the security detail came in Broadway was already gridlocked for miles. The shootings were to continue. Officers were speculating when the next one would be. We were wondering if it was going to be one of us this time.
As we went up Broadway the sidewalks had been turned into parking lots. Thousands of people poured into the already crowded streets jammed with cars. Stereos blared so loudly that you could feel the vibrations in you body armor. As darkness approached the tension of the crowds was building. Officers from as far East as 2 nd Street were calling for assistance. The cruising has never been a problem that far east and now it has taken on monstrous proportions. At 10:30 a minor accident at 12 th and Broadway erupted into deadly gunfire with two victims down on the ground. Another young man was dead.
Sunday, bone weary Officers returned for round 3! At noon Officers would much rather have been home to celebrate Mother's day with their loved ones than to once again have to deal with a mass of uninvited and unwanted unlawful behavior.
5 th Division Officers were called to Cox's Park when Broadway cruisers decided to relocate. Cars were driving on the walking tracks, across the fields and ultimately we, the taxpayers of Louisville will have to pay for the damages. Other Divisions were reporting similar problems, but there just weren't enough Officers to go around.
The monetary cost for this out of control, Non-derby sanctioned event will probably be millions of dollars to the City. The cost in human life cannot be tallied. How many more people have to die before this is terminated?
Several years ago the administration said that the Central Avenue Block Party was out of control. Central Avenue was only 4 blocks long. It had a beginning time and an ending time. When it was over, the crowd went home. This was deemed too radical and too out of control, yet a party extending 40 City Blocks was not.
The citizens of West Louisville have a right to have a safe neighborhood free of violence and unlawful and lewd behavior. The vendors market was a wonderful idea. The Screaming Eagles block party is almost always trouble free. Throughout Louisville, not just the west end people hold parties and celebrate the Derby without going to the track. This Cruising madness is not a celebration of Derby. It is an opportunity for thugs and outlaws to show their true colors and trample on the rights of others.
There are no if, ands or buts about it. It has to be shut down! Atlanta had similar problems several years ago with what was called the "Freak Nik". After numerous murders, shootings, fights and rapes they shut it down. They advertised that it will no longer be tolerated. They told people that they would be cited and or arrested and they accomplished their mission. Louisville needs to do the same thing!