INDIANAPOLIS — With just 11 days until the end of the year, so far Indianapolis has not broken another deadly record with gun violence.
But with hundreds of shootings reported in 2022, the city still has a long way to go in curbing gun violence. And many are hoping that the work being done with the Gun Violence Reduction Strategy will help to continue reducing violence in Indianapolis overall in the years to come.
It's closing in on one year since the Gun Violence Reduction Strategy has been in place around Indianapolis. After just 12 months of work, IMPD is reporting homicides are down 15% compared to last year and nonfatal shootings are down 13% compared to 2021.
"But there are still way too many homicides that we've had this year. And so no matter what, we are still pushing through. We do have several shootings that do happen on a regular basis and so our teams are out there working with the community and trying to hone in on what's going on, and also figure out what they can do to change it around," said Tony Lopez, deputy director of violence reduction in the Office of Public Health and Safety.
When it comes to reducing Indy's gun violence problem, Lopez said the solution is part-police, part-city programming and a lot of work with community groups and organizations, meeting at-risk people in the community and helping them get on a different track.
Shardae Hoskins, lead program manager for violence reduction with OPHS, works with the outreach team, helping ensure those community centers and programs have the resources they need to make that difference.
"My focus has to be on gun violence reduction, the individuals perpetrating violence, so that means I can't always focus on root causes, but I can pivot to Brightwood Community Center, who is always focused on root causes, always focused on feeding people and giving people the necessary resources so they won't be violent," Hoskins said.
Helping these smaller grassroots groups connect to those tools and funds they need is already making a difference, Hoskins said, winning over trust around Indianapolis and helping community centers reach more people, earlier on.
Reducing gun violence is a slow process, but it's a goal the team here is fighting to see succeed.
"I'm from here, born and raised, my whole life. I want to see change in this city. We want change and that's what we're going to do," Hoskins said.
While the drop in homicides and nonfatal shootings this past year indicates the Gun Violence Reduction Strategy is starting to work, Lopez said that achieving meaningful, lasting peace in Indy will be a long road.
"Just because we're seeing a reduction now and in the next year, hopefully, and in the next year hopefully after that doesn't mean that will always happen. And as long as we have this strategy still going and pushing through, hopefully, we can keep it going for many, many years to come," he said.