ST. LOUIS — St. Louis police said they are stepping up their presence following two shootings at the Marriott parking garage downtown.
Marshall Glaus spends a lot of his time downtown and believes more needs to be done.
"I think there are other steps the city could take if they really wanted to curb violence, instead of just piling more police on, but that’s just my opinion," he said.
Nino Viviano lives downtown and said for the most part he feels safe.
"There is definitely gun violence that occurs downtown. I live close to the arch and that’s kind of a place where I feel more comfortable and safer, but if you kind of stray away and go more north, it definitely is a little bit more dangerous," he said.
Part of feeling safe though doesn't come from having more uniformed officers around, according to Glaus.
"I don't know if that would necessarily make me feel safer. I guess I feel like it would be less risk of violence," he said.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department believes that would help though.
Captain Pierre Benoist, with SLMPD, told reporters in a press conference on Friday that starting the first weekend of May, police presence on the busy streets would be beefed up.
"We will have security, additional, this weekend and every weekend moving forward down in downtown and downtown West," he said.
Glaus said he didn't see that though.
"I really don't see much police presence downtown. I haven't really seen any more difference," he said.
The added security comes after a woman was killed in the parking garage of the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel on Wednesday night.
Less than 24 hours later, two men were shot and injured inside that same garage.
"We're going to be starting our cruising detail so that allows us have additional security, not only at the Marriott, but throughout downtown and downtown West," Capt. Benoist said.
Police said it's not only the streets they'll have extra eyes on though.
"We've been in touch with pretty much all the parking garages downtown. The hotels that have garages and stuff. They're on heightened security, also," Capt. Benoist said.
For some, like Glaus and Viviano though, more needs to be done.
"Maybe more cameras or like better education or things to deter crime besides just heavy police presence," Glaus said.
St. Louis Police said their increased police presence would continue every weekend moving forward.