A violent July 4th weekend saw police report that 24 people were shot in 16 different shooting incidents.
Officers also arrested 37 people downtown, with 15 arrests involving firearms. A total of 39 firearms were seized.
“We are making the proper investments with our police in overtime to make sure downtown is safe and vibrant and beautiful. We are also pulling in our private partners to reinforce that message. We’re doing everything that we can to make sure that downtown stays safe for anybody who wants to come visit and have fun here,” Jones said.
Jones told reporters her own teenage son was downtown on the Fourth of July.
“Unfortunately, he was downtown just before all of that happened. He was driving around with his friends, but he saw the danger coming and he thought well enough to say, ‘I have to get out of here before things get bad.'”
Jones said she believes police did everything they could, and she thanked officers for being active.
“I think this calls more attention to what the state is not doing. I’m not trying to pass the buck at all, but what I am saying is that the state created the conditions that we are currently living under. Everybody has access to a gun, and when everyone has access to a gun, that makes our communities less safe.”
St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy backed up what the mayor said in a town hall Monday, which addressed the downtown community.
“My message is that in this state, it’s not illegal to carry a firearm. It’s not illegal for a juvenile to carry a firearm, we do have an ordinance in place but it’s a summons that goes to municipal court that has some teeth but not a lot of teeth,” Tracy added.
When will democrats admit that they can’t legislate morality? The decision to NOT shoot someone begins around the dinner table when Mom and DAD!! teach that violence isn’t the answer to solving problems.