Someone fired at least four gunshots Friday just blocks away as St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas spoke about gun violence prevention outside the Cure Violence center in Dutchtown.
As the shots rang out, Jones briefly stopped what she was saying, smirked and said, “Oh, well, isn’t that wonderful.”
“Well, I hear gunshots in my neighborhood every night,” she added. “My son and I fall asleep to the lullaby of gunshots in the distance every night because I’m the first mayor in over 20 years to be born, raised and still live in North St. Louis.”
She told members of the media while hearing the gunshots was unfortunate, she didn’t flinch because hearing shots is a part of her life. Her description of the “lullaby of gunshots” is one heard in talking points throughout her campaign to become mayor.
“My son and I fall asleep to the lullaby of gunshots in the distance every night because I’m the first mayor in over 20 years to be born, raised and still live in North St. Louis.” —St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones
The incident attracted national media attention, with stories appearing in The Washington Post, CNN,New York Post and others.
Jones and Lucas were at the center Friday to meet with about 10 community members to discuss gun violence and prevention efforts in St. Louis.
The St. Louis Police Department released updated homicide numbers through Monday, which totaled 163. The city has experienced a drastic reduction in homicide numbers compared to last year, which at this time were at 263.
Last year’s homicide rate was 30% higher than any of the past 50 years in the city — a trend that echoed throughout cities nationwide.
St. Louis reported 194 homicides in 2019, then 187 in 2018, and 205 in 2017.
The roundtable was a chance for Lucas and Jones to hear from advocates and activists working in the city. They shared their experiences and perspectives on the prevalence of gun violence in the region.
Cheeraz Gorman founded Sibling Support Network, an organization dedicated to the needs of people who have lost blood-related or fictive kin siblings to violent crime after her younger brother was killed in August 2013.
She said one of the most important things the community needs to do is hold space for people experiencing the pain of losing a loved one and be careful in how individuals choose to distance themselves from the pain and harm of the violence.
“At times, we get so punitive about this notion of violence, and we also get dismissive because in language, what do we say? ‘That was senseless,’” Gorman said. “Not recognizing that behind every decision that someone makes to be violent, that was valid to them. However, when we choose to say ‘something is senseless,’ we as a community, we tap out.”
Others discussed the importance of simply being there, on the streets, interacting, and building solid relationships with those most likely to turn to violence.
“It’s a thing, you’ve got to have a heart,” Brother El with Cure Violence said. “We’ve seen so many times where whatever authority swoops in, and we get the fingers pointed, people get the shackles put on them, and then they are gone. But we never get to the root of why it happened.”
He pointed to what many, including Jones, believe are the root causes of crime: lack of education, food, jobs and housing.
Lucas, who has been mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, since August 2019, was in the city Thursday and Friday for a visit with Jones. The two have publicly shown their support for one another in their respective campaigns.
He noted it was powerful to ride along the night prior with the social workers who are now responding with police officers to some calls in the city. He said he believes St. Louis is too hard on itself when it comes to its issues with crime — citing the notable homicide reduction seen this year compared to last.
“The conversion we had, it just underscores the urgency of the need, as well as it underscores that it’s going to take us all of us — the burden of curing gun violence cannot fall solely on our government or our police officers, it’s going to take all of us working together and then making sure that we are addressing the root cause,” Jones said in her concluding remarks at the roundtable.
Others who participated in the roundtable included Kateri Chapman-Kramer, with Life Outside of Violence; Valerie Dent, with STL Mothers in Charge; Alderman Shane Cohn, Ward 25; Dr. Dan Isom, acting public safety director; and Joseph Yancey, with Places for People.
