The 70th homicide in Little Rock in 2022 ties a terrible record and breaks hearts among the community

Little Rock, Arkansas – No one from another household is seated at the table. As another homicide in the nation’s capital is reported on Sunday, Little Rock.

With 70, the city ties its all-time record set in 1993, the bloodiest year in Little Rock.

“It’s just really sad,” a woman who lives in the area, Kristin Walker said.

Kristin Walker, a local, was devastated to hear that the capital city had experienced 70 fatalities this year.

“You realize that every single one of those people, someone cared about them, and someone misses them, and someone is heartbroken that they’re gone,” Walker said.

Early on Sunday morning, Little Rock Police were called to a shooting on York Drive, where they allegedly discovered the body of 34-year-old David Royal.

“It needs to collect our attention,” Walker stated.

According to police statistics, the bloodiest year in Little Rock was 1993, with 70 fatalities.

We are now tied at that number in 2022.

Kristin Walker said, “Kind of figure out why are these numbers going up all of a sudden, what is causing that trend, and to maybe look at some of the things that were done back after that deadliest year that was years ago.”

Little Rock Police recorded 65 homicides in 2021, 55 in 2021, 43 in 2019, and 42 in 2018 throughout the previous five years.

Walker argued that we should research past crime-reduction strategies and apply them to the present.

“I just believe it takes person by person saying I’m going to get involved, whether that’s volunteering at a school, tutoring at an after-school program, reaching out to neighboring communities, I think it’s going to take more than just money,” Walker said.

She does believe there are some long-term fixes, though.

“Like after-school programs and education and teaching conflict resolution at a young age because I do think people turn to violence as a cry for help or out of hopelessness,” Walker stated.

Avreyon Carter, 40, was detained by Little Rock Police in connection with the early Sunday morning homicide.

First-degree murder is the accusation against Carter.