KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The trend of violence in Kansas City, Missouri, has taken the lives of 75 people this year alone.
City leaders say that despite the tragedy, they aren't giving up.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas, KCPD Chief Stacey Graves and Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker gathered at the KCPD Headquarters Wednesday morning to address the continuing violence and discuss what steps will be taken to work towards a safer tomorrow.
"51, 59, 42, 19, 24, 33 — the ages of our most recent homicide victims, and yet another homicide victim this morning," Graves said.
The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department has responded to seven homicide scenes since Sunday morning.
"Seven victims in our city in 72 hours. Seven families in our city have been changed forever. This is a call for action," Graves said.
Peters Baker said through the hardship, she is committed to not give up on her mission to make the city safe for everyone.
"We acknowledge it was a very hard weekend for Kansas City," Peters Baker said. "There was a lot of violence over this weekend, and while that pains us and hurts our heart, as it does yours, we are not giving up. So that's what I'm going to ask each of you — don't give up. Please don't give up."
Lucas said the city, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department are working in lockstep to overcome gun violence challenges through prevention, intervention and enforcement.
KCPD has been working to track down suspects and identify those who may be at risk of retaliation. Graves said the department needs the public's help to deliver justice, by reporting any information on Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
"I would ask you to put yourself in the shoes of these victim's families, and what would you want someone to do for your loved one," she said.
The department has also coordinated with violence prevention experts, including individuals from Partners for Peace and Aim for Peace, to support those who have been impacted by violent crime.
"On the prevention side, we are actively working in every community of Kansas City to make sure young people know that there are alternatives to violent crime, to make sure that we have invested in substantial activity throughout the summer," Lucas said.
The mayor shared that activity includes Mayor night hoops, city internship programs, efforts with community leaders and two events planned to engage with the community.
One of the events is an Oak Park Neighborhood Association Resource Fair on Friday, June 2, from 5-8 p.m. on Prospect Avenue between 34th and 35th streets, the location where violence has taken lives multiple times this year alone. This event will aim to help connect officers, community and neighborhood leaders with Kansas Citians, to inform the public that they are there to help, and there are alternatives to crime.
An "old-school block party" will also be held by the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department on June 10 from 12-3 p.m. at Sycamore Park.
"We're here day in and day out, trying to make Kansas City safer," Graves said. "If you see us, come talk to us."
Peters Baker said one effort to curb crime is to have a multi-disciplinary team visit the homes of people believed to be engaged in violent crimes to talk with anyone who is willing.
Peters Baker highlighted the messages she's delivered while joining these teams: shooting people is wrong and always will be, that they are on their radar and that there will be consequences if the shooting doesn't stop immediately.
"We also tell them this: we need you. We need you alive. We need you out of prison and we want you to succeed," she said.
For Peters Baker, she sees those engaged in violence with two options before them: arrest and prosecution, or services and helping people change.
"There is a 19 year old whose got a family, whose got a mother, whose got all these other folks that are grieving today," Lucas said. "Why don't we make sure there's not another one two days from now, five days from now, and that's what the call to action is all about."
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For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
