Leaders vow to crack down on businesses who ‘harbor criminal activity’ after violent weekend

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A weekend mired by gun violence and death left dozens of Kansas Citians with a mix of emotions on Monday.

City and county leaders gathered at 35th Street and Prospect Avenue to address the four homicides and another death investigation that took place in Kansas City, Missouri, in a span of less than 24 hours.

Frustration, shock and grief were just some of the sentiments spilled out as members of the Kansas City community voiced their feelings over the deadly weekend.

“The community has had enough of these repeated incidents again and again,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said.

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson decried the violence outside of a liquor store at the intersection.

“I live here. My mom lives here. My sister lives here. These tears are not a sign of weakness. They’re a sign of frustration,” Johnson said, overcome with emotion. “These babies that are picking up trash every single day have to watch what I call ‘Club 35th and Prospect’ right here outside of Big D’s Liquor. Grown men sitting on milk cartons, gambling, smoking, doing drugs in the open air. And we’re just supposed to turn a blind eye to that and not care? How? In what world?”

Lucas promised to hold businesses accountable that allow loitering and crime on their property.

“If you are harboring criminal activity on your property, on your part of the street, then that is your responsibility,” the mayor stated. “If you are harboring criminal activity again and again, and if you have been cited by Codes Enforcement, if we need to, we will shut you down.”

In 48 hours, from Saturday morning to Sunday night, the Kansas City Police Department and the Lenexa Police Department were called to seven separate scenes. They are now classified as five homicides, one death investigation and one officer-involved shooting fatality.

• June 21 at 10:18 a.m.
  • 4200 Linwood Blvd, KCMO
  • Homicide investigation: One 45-year-old man killed
• June 21 at 10:30 p.m.
  • E Gregory Blvd & Walnut St, KCMO
  • Homicide investigation: One 22-year-old man killed
• June 22 at 2 a.m.
  • Vine St & E 19th St, KCMO
  • Homicide investigation: One 26-year-old man killed, five injured
• June 22 at 3 a.m.
  • 12400 W 97th Terrace, Lenexa, Kansas
  • Officer-involved shooting investigation: One person killed
• June 22 at 3:55 a.m.
  • 3600 Warwick Blvd, KCMO
  • Death investigation: One person died
• June 22 at 6 a.m.
  • E 37th St & Flora Ave, KCMO
  • Homicide investigation: One 17-year-old boy killed
• June 22 at 8:30 p.m.
  • 5400 Winner Rd, KCMO
  • Homicide investigation: One 18-year-old man killed

Editor’s Note: KCTV5 will have more information on this developing story later today.