ST. LOUIS — Downtown St. Louis residents are tired of the violence happening outside their windows. They said something has to change, whether it’s a stronger curfew or laws.
Jordan lives on Washington Avenue, close to the office building where almost a dozen teens were injured and one was killed during a shooting Sunday.
“It's sad that it came to that, but that's kind of where it's at,” Jordan said.
This is nothing new to him and countless others downtown.
“One day, people are coming out to leave at like 10:30, 11:00 at night. And there's just armed teenagers in our lobby, just a large band of armed kids. And you know, what do you do at that point?” Jordan said.
But something has to change.
St. Louis police said they're doing what they can by increasing their presence downtown and enforcing the curfew.
“So if it takes us detaining these juveniles, inconveniencing parents or guardians to have to come and physically pick them up, and then on top of that, potentially be issued a summons where they have to deal with the city councilors office and potential fines ... I mean, that's how serious this is,” Sgt. Charles Wall said.
Arnold Stricker with Citizens for a Greater Downtown St. Louis said he’s noticed more officers on the streets.
“We appreciate what the chief is doing as it relates to that," Stricker said. "You know more about that as they're trying to curb some of these things. And maybe that's why he mentioned some of these things have moved inside because they're dealing with the things that are going on outside."
Jordan said he thinks the curfew enforcement isn't enough.
“Really, I think we just need to crack down on parents," Jordan said. "I mean, it's kind of like if my dog got off the leash and he ran across the street and bit somebody, I'd be financially liable for any damage that was done there."
Stricker said some bills currently in front of the St. Louis Board of Alderman are part of the solution, but they need to be stronger.
“It needs to go back to leadership, taking some really progressive kinds of action in including law enforcement in their solutions and not watering down things that we already have,” Stricker said.
The city is working to have the Wohl and Marquette recreation centers open longer on Fridays and Saturdays, from 6-10 p.m. for kids 15 and under and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for people 16 and older through August to give them somewhere to go.
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