With murder stats up more than 37 percent from last year, East St. Louis mayor Alvin Parks Jr. is speaking out about the violence in his city. Parks said that the city is experiencing a “rising tide” of violence – most recently the weekend deaths of three women gunned down outside a convenience store.
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.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.