Missouri's 2 biggest cities battle high homicide rates

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri’s two biggest cities saw a jump in homicides in 2019, and if that wasn’t bad enough, an alarming number of killers got away with it.

St. Louis and Kansas City have among the highest homicide rates in the U.S. St. Louis had 194 killings last year, which was eight more than in 2018. Kansas City’s homicide total rose by 10, to 148. Early signs for 2020 were troubling, especially in St. Louis, which saw seven killings in the first two days of the new year.

In both places, most of the killers haven't been caught. Kansas City police have solved 43% of last year's killings. St. Louis police have solved just 31% of theirs.

Police leaders say witnesses are simply too scared to cooperate.

“The biggest challenge we have is witness participation,” St. Louis police Chief John Hayden said. “They are worried about retaliation. That’s a legitimate concern, but at the same time it allows an environment to perpetuate so the suspects get away, many times, with their crimes.”

Sgt. Jake Becchina, a Kansas City police spokesman, said 70% of people who survive being shot refuse to name their assailant.

“We can’t submit a case for prosecution if our victim does not cooperate,” Becchina said.

The escalation in killings in Missouri is particularly puzzling since homicides have declined in many U.S. cities. Police in both Missouri cities believe the state's lax gun laws are a contributing factor, including a 2017 law that allowed firearms to be carried without a permit.

Hayden said the presence of a gun means that disagreements are more likely to escalate beyond a shouting match or fist fight.

“If a gun is introduced into that chaos, there’s somebody that’s shot that’s not getting up,” Hayden said.

Gov. Mike Parson has met multiple...