View Comments The overall numbers for crime are down for the month of March, but aggravated assault and homicides are up by 49%. Just in the month of March Shreveport experienced 11 homicides, which is a 1,000% increase from March of 2020. A year ago, part of March was under a stay-at-home order due to COVID-19. During a recent press conference addressing Shreveport’s gun violence, Shreveport Chief of Police Ben Raymond spoke to the crowd. During his speech, he pleaded with the audience to take a stand in ending this city-wide violence. “We can and we must take immediate action to reduce gun violence plaguing our community,” Raymond said. “When did it become acceptable to allow our children and those whom we have influence over to carry illegal weapons?”