INDIANAPOLIS — The city of Indianapolis hasn't had a break from violence. Since Tuesday, five more people have been killed in Indianapolis.
The first few days of October have been tough for the city. It's left many people questioning why this is happening.
At an event on Thursday, Mayor Joe Hogsett told 13News there's not a simple answer.
"There's one consistent [issue] present and that is poverty. It's now not just one generation but multi or multigenerational poverty. Lack of opportunity, lack of educational access," Hogsett said.
Improving education access is why Hogsett joined Martin University as leaders announced they are reducing tuition rates. They hope doing this will help them be a part of the solution to the city's violence issues.
"Some people choose a pathway to crime or commit crimes to be able to get themselves out of a hole. Education provides an opportunity to expand one's compacity to choose, to compete, and to win," said Sean Huddleston, president of Martin University.
Hogsett also announced the recipients of Elevation Grants. Over the next three years, the initiative is investing 45 million dollars in neighborhoods to address the root causes of violent crime in Indianapolis.
"It didn't increase overnight. We can't expect it to just be eliminated overnight," Hogsett said.
The total homicide numbers are down – 174 compared to 201 at this point in 2021.
Hogsett admits the city has a ways to go, but he believes the community is moving in the right direction.
"As we clean those areas up and reinvigorate them economically with the neighborhood's direct input on what they want to see those properties become, I think we are going to see a far east side like it once was," Hogsett said.