“These aren’t just names – these are people,” cried PeChaz Clark as she read names of people who had been killed in 2007.
Clark was among a congregation of people who attended the 16th Annual New Year’s Eve Candlelight Service at El Bethel C.O.G.I.C. in North St. Louis.
As Carl Blanks listened to the names of those slain, he grunted and sighed in despair. Then, he did it again.
Two of his grandson’s had been killed in the city – one in November and the other in December.
“I lost three generations to violence in less than two years,” said Blanks, whose son was murdered in 2006.
“It’s closure for me,” he said while praying. But he doubted that the New Year would birth without another murder in the metro area.
He was right.
A 30-year-old woman shot and killed her two daughters in Jennings before turning the gun on herself at around 6:15 p.m. Monday.
Larhonda Mason had been in a quarrel with a male acquaintance before leaving a Jennings home on foot with her two children Teleanna, 11, and Jazelyn 3, according to police.
The shooting occurred at the corner of West Florissant and Apricot.
St. Louis recorded its first murder less than two hours into the New Year when an unidentified man was found shot to death in an alley in the 4300 block of Lee Ave. in north St. Louis.
The shooting occurred shortly before 2 a.m.
Mayor Francis G. Slay, Police Chief Joe Mokwa and City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce pledged to help in the fight against crime and offered their condolences at Monday’s vigil service.
The annual vigil is presented by Families Advocating Safe Streets, anti-crime group founded by Jeanette Culpepper.
Last year, 138 people were murdered in St. Louis City. The youngest was six months and the oldest 89, according to names and ages read at the vigil.
The city recorded nine more murders than in 2006.
The record number of murders in St. Louis is 267 and occurred in 1993.
St. Louis County recorded 35 murders in 2007.
Several other law enforcement officers, elected officials and community leaders attended the visual. Many who spoke asked that the members of the community work with police in ridding crime.
“We have to work as a family,” said James Clark of Better Family Life, Inc., who served as master of ceremonies. He noted that family isn’t just those who share blood.
Blanks said he didn’t have faith in many of the sentiments from the podium.
“All this stuff being said here tonight is just lip-service,” he said pointing out that more political figures attended than people really affected by the murders.
Alderwoman Marlene Davis, (19th Ward) admitted that everyone, including herself, could and should do more to fight crime in the city.
“I can’t believe I grew up in the city and the other night, I was afraid to get out of my car – I can’t live like that,” Davis said.
Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed said the problem of crime must be stopped on the front end because it’s too late once perpetrators are arrested and go through the court system.
“There are a number of programs we can put together to help stop this problem,” Reed said of elected officials.
