Violent crimes down in the Highlands a year after deadly summer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Louisville Metro Police spoke with community members in the Highlands Wednesday at the monthly meeting of the Highland Commerce Guild.
An LMPD lieutenant said gun violence is down tremendously from a year ago. A beatification and construction project is also underway on Bardstown Road to make it safer for pedestrians in the area.
Sean Williams operates a 31-person rental property right behind Neat Bourbon Bar on Bardstown Road that can be rented as a whole or as individual rooms. Williams and a partner bought and renovated an unused building and opened Bungalou just before the Kentucky Derby. He said when people feel safer, everybody wins.
”People want to feel safe and comfortable when they’re going out and visiting different shops or going out to eat,” said Williams. “I think a big part of it is you’re seeing a lot more development come back onto the Bardstown Road area.”
Back in the summer of 2021 there were a number of shootings in the Highlands. A couple of them were highly visible murders. LMPD said those numbers are drastically down. In fact, Councilwoman Cassie Chambers-Armstrong said there’s only been one criminal shooting in the area compared 15 at this point last year. Sean Williams said this kind of progress is only going to help the entire area.
”It has a ripple effect across all different industries,” said Williams.
Williams said one group rented the Bungalou for the weekend of Bourbon and Beyond music festival for over $20,000. They’ve already got Derby 2023 rented, which will be even pricier.
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