CINCINNATI — Three shootings in 24 hours in Cincinnati, including two drive-bys, put anti-gun violence advocates on alert.
Multiple metrics, however, show shootings and gun violence have dropped in the first half of 2024 compared to a year earlier.
Cincinnati police data indicates total shootings have dropped from 148 by June 13, 2023, to 112 by the same point this year. The number of shooting victims has also dropped from 160 to 142, and juvenile victims from 35 to 17, over the same period.
A WCPO analysis of gunviolence.org data revealed drive-by shootings had dropped year-over-year as well from nine in 2023 to four so far in 2024.
PREVIOUS | Drive-by shootings up significantly in first half of 2023
For anti-gun violence advocates meeting Thursday in the West End, the drop doesn't make the recent rash of shootings any easier to deal with.
"It hurts my spirit," said Sheila Nared, director of Trauma Recovery Center.
Nared organized the town hall with Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice and the Seven Hills Neighborhood Center to hear from others around the country about initiatives they implement to deter gun violence.
The goal was to help those like Mildred Patterson, who lost her nephew, Jimmie Patterson, roughly 15 years ago.
"It was the first murder in 2009," she said.
Mildred said she didn't wish the pain on anyone else.
"It's so hard," she said. "It goes so deep within you, and it cuts you deep."
Nared said public policy drives funding and that's what can help drive grassroots organizations like hers, and that helps with prevention, but she said the key to pushing down gun violence was volunteerism and engagement from those living in each community.
She said "solution" may be the wrong word, however.
"It's not going to be, like, we fixed this thing," Nared said. "This is ongoing."
Nared said anyone interested in getting involved can contact them by visiting the Seven Hills Neighborhood Center at 901 Finley St., calling 513-407-5362 or visiting 7hillsnh.com.
