EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — East St. Louis' mayor says his struggling city is grappling with what he calls a "rising tide" of violence punctuated by the weekend deaths of three women gunned down outside a convenience store.
And Alvin Parks Jr. says it's time to do something about it.
City leaders on Friday announced the latest push to control the local drug and violence problems by having police step-up patrols of high-crime neighborhoods and get help from state and federal authorities.
The school district also says its counselors, psychologists and social workers are ready to offer help for affected students and encourage dialogue meant to curb the violence.
The city this year has had 27 homicides, already 10 more than at this point last year.
madsmoker said on November 13, 2009 at 12:01 PM
well gollygee why didnt they start doing something about it a long time ago itsis not to late now with all the killings shootings and crime better call in the feds
madsmoker said on November 13, 2009 at 12:04 PM
why start now should of started a long time ago curfews at night gang crack downs would be a starting point
madhatter1 said on November 13, 2009 at 3:42 PM
I tell you one way much of this can be stopped.... does EVERYTHING have to be open 24 hours? I see these people who work in a Gas-Mart or something like that all by themselves at 2:30AM, it's like they are sitting ducks. Also pass Conceal and Carry in Illinois, at least give us a level playing field if someone stupid decides to pull a gun in public.
mzstl80sbebe said on November 14, 2009 at 9:12 AM
So you complain when they are not doing anything, then when they take the initiative to do something about it, it was not done in enough time. I am just glad that it is finally happening.
rsbjm1 said on November 16, 2009 at 7:12 PM
This can't be blamed on conceal carry, because Illinois, don't have it. It strange that Illinois, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. with all of their strick gun laws, have as much gun violence as states with conceal carry.