South KC residents concerned about homicide increase in area

Kansas City's homicide rate is on track to break records.

As of Saturday, 91 people have been killed city-wide compared to 65 the same time last year.

IF THINGS STAY THE WAYTHEY ARE - KANSAS CITY ISON PACE TO HAVING ARECORD-BREAKING YEARIN THE NUMBER OFHOMICIDES.SO FAR THIS YEAR -THERE HAVE BEEN 91HOMICIDES.... COMPAREDTO 65 FOR THIS SAME TIMELAST YEAR.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER NICK STARLINGSHARES THE CONCERNSTHAT NUMBER?

ISHAVING ON ONE PART OFTHE CITY.NICK:IT"S THIS SPIKE INCRIME THAT HAS MANYHERE IN SOUTH KANASCITY CONCERNED.

SO FARTHIS YEAR THERE"SBEEN 13 HOMICIDES INTHIS PART OF THE CITYCOMPARED TO ZERO LASTYEAR."VO"TO DISCUSS THE RISE INVIOLENTCRIME"NEIGHBORHOODLEADERS PUT TOGETHER APANEL OF CITY ANDCOUNTY OFFICIALS BOTHVIRTUAL AND IN-PERSONTO TALK ABOUT THEIRCONCERNS.MAYOR QUINTON LUCASPOINTED TO A LACK OFIN-PERSON ACTIVITIES FORKANSAS CITY"S YOUTHBECAUSE OF COVID-19"AND TO SUPPORTPROGRAMS THATCONTINUE TO EXIST SUCHAS THE NO VIOLENCEALLIANCE.BUT WITH THE CITY-WIDEHOMICIDE RATE UP NEARLY40-PERCENT COMPAREDTO LAST YEAR"FINDINGSOLUTIONS TO THISVIOLENCE IS WHATEVERYONE IN THIS ROOMWANTS.SOTMary Nestel-South KCresident11:06:02I"m shocked by thehomicide rate, I"mshocked by the gun violence,I"m shocked by the drugsincreasing.KCPD-South Patrol DivisionCommander11:59:01We"re very concernedabout violent crime not onlycity-wide but south patrol.TAG:OF THE 13 HOMICIDESKCPD SAYS 9 OF THESUSPECTS HAVE BEENCAUGHT.ORGANIZERS HOPE TOCONTINUE THIS DIALOGUETHROUGHOUT THE YEAR.REPORTING IN KANSASCITYNICK STARLIN