St. Joseph residents express concerns following recent bouts of violence

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- St. Joseph has seen multiple violent incidents in recent weeks, including four shootings and one stabbing.

Many of the incidents remain under investigation, and police have arrested suspects in some of the cases.

The recent violence has left some residents concerned about safety in the community.

One resident said he grew up in St. Joseph, and he said there was never this much violence.

"I just don't understand where this is coming from. It's strange how violent some people have gotten. I don't know if it's social media or what it is," Harold Walley said.

Walley expressed his opinion on gun control measures throughout the city, saying there need to be restrictions.

"Who can buy guns, who can buy ammunition and all this," Walley said. "The guns are just dumb. Don't let anybody and everybody have a gun. Let alone have one to shoot at somebody or shoot up in the air, whatever they are doing. I think it's just ridiculous."

One resident said all the recent violence is pretty frightening.

"My wife and I are both retired and live alone. I can take care of myself don't get my wrong. But it's pretty frightening when firearms come into play," Mike Leeson said.

Leeson said it's hard to feel safe when people are in the streets using firearms.

"I feel safe in my own home but when your leave our house you don't know what you're going to run into," he said.

Multiple residents I spoke to that wanted to be anonymous expressed that they don't feel safe in St. Joseph.

One resident said quote absolutely not, it's becoming too common. With another resident adding quote it's worse than what it used to be.

Not all residents don't feel unsafe in St. Joseph. One resident said the recent incidents have affect on her safety.

"I don't have any trouble myself but people around me do,"Patricia Reinoehl said.

One resident that I spoke to the didn't to be camera said quote I feel safe.

William Stone lives near Bartlett Park, and is a father of four. He heard gunfire the night of the shooting. His family no longer feels safe in their own neighborhood, but Stone said he does not blame police, adding that officers’ hands are tied.

"There's only so many of them honestly I think we need to have more police," he said. Their wages are..they don't get paid that much."

Two individuals were arrested after playing their parts in allegedly shooting a man at the Frog Hop on Monday, July 27. The same individuals were also connected to evidence of a shooting that damaged a residence on Mason Avenue the same night.

On July 31, officers responded to a disturbance in the 700 block of Francis Street, where an individual allegedly flashed a gun and left the scene before officers arrived. Police said the incident later transitioned to the area of Lake and Nebraska Avenues.

One woman sustained life-threatening injuries in a stabbing incident at Museum Hill Apartments on Sunday, Aug. 9. An individual is in custody after stabbing the woman numerous times in the face and neck.

In addition, a girl suffered minor injuries in a reported shooting at Bartlett Park on Tuesday, Aug. 4, when an alleged group of underage individuals gathered at the park and fired shots in the area. Currently, there are no suspects in custody.

Property was damaged in reports of shots fired at South 33rd Street from Duncan Street to Mitchell Avenue in the early hours of Tuesday, Aug. 11. The St. Joseph Police Department said two vehicles left the area at a high rate of speed.

While most of the aforementioned investigations remain active, SJPD said anyone with information is encouraged to contact the department at 816-271-4777 or submit an anonymous tip through the TIPS Hotline at 816-238-TIPS (8477).

KQ2 will update this article.