The number of homicides in the City of St. Louis has now surpassed those of 2015 and 2016.
There were 188 homicides in those years, respectively. With about a month left in 2017, the city has had 189 homicides.
One Kirkwood family is devastated after they lost 19 year-old Shelbyon Polk.
Polk went missing last Wednesday evening and was found shot to death on Burd Street in the city on Thanksgiving morning.
His grandmother Karen said, “We have to step up as a community, we have to step up."
She is asking anyone with information to come forward.
She said he had no reason to be in the city, and did not know anyone who lived in that neighborhood.
His friends are reeling from the loss.
"I cried, we were at the turkey day game and a lot of alumni there. I graduated in 16, he graduated in 17. Lot of alumni there, everybody having a good time and to get a call like this," his friend Ty said. "At a moment like that, it's a bad feeling."
There is a candlelight vigil scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sunday in Meacham Park.
