Lexington’s Gun Violence Task Force nearing completion of recommendations for council

A comprehensive approach towards curbing gun violence in Lexington

Since fall of last year, a critical citywide task force has dedicated its efforts to address the increasing problem of gun violence in the city of Lexington. The task force is now at the final stages of concluding a comprehensive list of recommendations, designed to contribute towards creating a safer residential environment in the city.

Since 2021, a considerable reduction in the number of homicides and shootings in the city indicates positive progress. Between January and April 2021, the Lexington Police Department reported 14 homicide investigations and 31 shooting investigations. Comparatively, in the same timeframe in 2024, the department has reported just four homicide investigations and 21 shooting investigations.

Rising from current achievements to higher success

The establishment of the Gun Violence Task Force was primarily aimed to build upon the success of these decreased rates. “We’re doing great things. How can we improve on what we’re doing?” says councilmember Jennifer Reynolds.

Months of deliberations with community and city leaders have helped the task force formulate a list of recommendations for the Urban County Council. Some essential items on this list are defining gun violence as a “public health crisis,” the expansion of community centers accessibility, provision of counseling services for families affected by gun violence and creating a grant for victim services.

“When we talk about elevating gun violence to a public health crisis, it advocates for channeling time, resources, and attention accordingly,” explains Reynolds. This classification as a public health crisis allows for partnerships with health departments to create public awareness campaigns, among other benefits.

Looking beyond the statistics – The human impact

Families directly bearing the brunt of gun violence reinforce the crisis status. “It affects everyone,” states Theresa Lacefield, whose son was a victim of a shooting incident in Lexington in 2021. She adds that despite the significant strides made in curbing gun violence, any amount of help seems small in the face of the immense loss experienced by affected families.

The task force remains committed to refining its recommendations and creating more concrete action items for the Urban County Council, with the work likely to extend through the summer.