Community demands answers 1 year after deadly shooting at Chickasaw Park

By Alexis Mathews

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — A few days after last year’s tragedy at Old National Bank, several people were shot at a west Louisville Park.

“I said I would never step foot in this park again,” said David Huff, Sr.

It’s painful but courageous for Huff to be back in Chickasaw Park. It’s been a year since his only son, David Jr., was shot and killed as gunfire erupted in the busy park on a Saturday night.

Deaji Goodman, 28, also died, and four other people were wounded.

Huff is now left with only memories of the 17-year-old who carried his name and whose high school diploma Huff accepted a few weeks after his son’s murder.

He says his son was a lover of sports and fashion and had many aspirations, including college and joining the Navy.

“I think that’s the most devastating thing to go through, is all I wanted is to see him be a man,” said Huff.

The tragedy at Chickasaw Park is still unsolved. With no arrests being made to date, the community gathered for a one-year observance on Monday to plead with the hundreds of people who were there that night to come forward with information.

LMPD’s chief also expressed frustration with the lack of cooperation from the public, and the city’s persistent gun violence that has taken the lives of 38 people so far this year.

“I need your help,” said LMPD Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel. “Louisville, we need to stand up and make our voices known and call out those individuals who are plaguing on our citizens and destroying lives.”

Two ways that people can share information with police are LMPD’s anonymous tip line at 574-5673 and with Kentuckiana Crime Stoppers at 574-CLUE.

As Huff and other families patiently wait for closure and justice, the shooting has also sparked some short-term solutions. Lights and cameras were added as park safety measures.

“Every family should be able to come to Chickasaw Park and any Metro Park without fear of something that happened a year ago, happening to them or their loved ones,” said Mayor Craig Greenberg.

These change efforts are part of a larger goal to curtail Louisville’s violence and work to ensure the agony that Huff feels is not inflicted on another family.

“What’s inside and what I’m dealing with inside, I wouldn’t wish this on nobody,” he said.

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