A disturbing trend has emerged from this year's homicide statistics: the Metro Crime Commission has found a huge jump in juveniles being shot and killed in New Orleans.
Even though violent crimes like shootings and homicides are down so far this year compared to 2022, Metro Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche says the number of children being shot and or killed is up.
"We've had 44 non-fatal juveniles shot this year, versus 33 last year, when we had a higher shooting rate and a higher homicide rate," he told WWL's Newell Normand. "We've had 20 juvenile-victim homicides this year versus 12 at the same point in time last year."
Goyeneche says the perpetrators are often in the same age range, meaning most of the juveniles were shot or killed by other juveniles or very young adults.
