'Our children should feel safe'; LMPD says eye witnesses staying silent is keeping killers on the streets

Louisville Metro Police provided new details about two shootings in Louisville earlier this week, including one at a bus stop. In both shootings, young mothers were killed.

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On the first weeks of school in Louisville, LMPD is dealing with a surge in violent crime. Multiple shootings near bus stops, and an exchange of gunfire that killed a pregnant mother is enough to make anyone shake their head.

"We had three people killed in Louisville this last Wednesday, and I'm here to discuss the deaths of two of those people because they involve the deaths of two young mothers," LMPD Lt. Les Skaggs said.

Two mothers, including one walking her child to the bus stop, were killed on August 13th in two separate homicides, according to LMPD.

24-year-old Redaja Williams was killed at 10th and Chestnut Wednesday morning. "She was walking her seven year old to the bus stop, to catch the bus, to go to school", Lt. Skaggs said.

He said there were dozens of school children at the intersection at the time. No one else was hurt. “Our children should feel safe getting out of their house, going to the bus stop, and going to school,” he said.

Lt. Skaggs said he is confident the shooting was targeted, and the shooter was aiming for Williams. He said the police department has reviewed surveillance video that shows the suspect in the red hoodie display a firearm, take aim and fire in the direction of Williams multiple times.

"I feel very confident in saying that she was the target of that homicide", Skaggs said.

LMPD acknowledged the photo provided above is terrible, but said it is the only photo they've been able to obtain of the person they believe to be the shooter.

A second shooting, on the same day

28-year-old Jermia Offutt was the second mother killed Wednesday, according to LMPD. This shooting happened at 41st and Broadway.

"She is a mother of three and she was pregnant with a son when she was killed," Skaggs said.

Skaggs said in this case, the young mother was at the wrong place, at the wrong time. He said she was standing in a parking lot of a market with her boyfriend when two groups of "juveniles or young adults" approached each other, exchanged words and then started shooting.

"She was an innocent bystander. She was not part of either of the two groups that met in that market parking lot, again she was there with her boyfriend," Skaggs said.

Police do not have an suspect descriptions in this case.

Eye witnesses staying quiet

LMPD says they know there were eyewitnesses present for both shootings and they desperately want to talk them. The investigation need eye witnesses to tell them first hand what they witnessed.

"We need these eye witnesses to come forward so we can get these killers off the street," Skaggs said.

Skaggs said eye witnesses are crucial in a homicide investigation. The fact that no one will come forward is protecting these killers, keeping them on Louisville streets.

"We need the community to start standing up to these people and say enough is enough," Skaggs said, "if you don't talk you're allowing these killers to get away with murder."

You can report tips anonymously, but LMPD said they need eye witnesses who are willing to testify in court to bring justice for the families of these victims.

If you want to get in touch with the police department you can do so by calling (502)- 574-LMPD. You can also report tips online here.

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