ST. LOUIS — Detectives with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department are searching for suspects and families are searching for answers after a holiday weekend full of gun violence.
It includes a shooting just before 10 p.m. Monday on Tara Lane in north St. Louis where two people were wounded and a third person was grazed.
On Saturday, a shooting on Glasgow Avenue left a 15- and 17-year-old in critical condition in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. Also on Saturday, a 41-year-old man was shot at the intersection of Riverview Boulevard in the North Pointe neighborhood.
On Sunday, a 20-year-old was killed and two others wounded on North 15th Street in the Downtown West neighborhood, a man was shot and killed on 13th and Washington Avenue; and a 37-year-old woman was shot in the arm, a 37-year-old man was shot in the leg and a 40-year-old man was grazed on the hand by a bullet.
The city now has at least 72 homicides after this weekend, according to data 5 On Your Side has been tracking.
Less than one week ago, the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) released its first-ever report for 2023, showing a 21% reduction in homicides compared to 2022. The report also found drops in youth shooting incidents and young shooting victims.
Under the youth diversion initiative, St. Louis is slated to open a youth assessment center soon, but Commissioner of OVP Wil Pinkney said one person or organization cannot solve the issue by themselves.
"Everybody has the same goal, everybody is tired of the violence and everybody wants less violence in their communities all across the region," Pinkney said. "When I say working collaboratively, I'm talking about all the governmental agencies working collaboratively and I'm talking about the community and nonprofit organizations."
According to the office, OVP Kickbacks, which are held in different neighborhoods year round and focus on meeting young people where they're at, have been a success.
The next one is from 2-6 p.m. June 15 at Barrett Brothers Park in the Wells Good Fellow neighborhood.
Resources for crime victims
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
The Bullet Related Injury Clinic (BRIC) is a community-based clinic in St. Louis that helps people heal after they have been injured by a bullet. The BRIC was established to help people who are discharged from the emergency department after being shot.
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