ST. LOUIS — Monday night, a man told police a teenager shot him inside a McDonald's on Natural Bridge in north city and then ran off with two other minors.
Tuesday, investigators said a 17-year-old shot his 22-year-old brother in the hand inside a home on South Compton Avenue during a fight.
Hours later, a 16-year-old boy told officers he was walking down Kennerly Avenue on the north side when someone in a car drove by and shot him in the chest.
"First, I think we need to understand it is a problem," Assistant Professor of Counseling at Webster University Dr. Claire Martin said.
Last year, teen violence was a major, city-wide problem that caught the attention of many.
"If we don't put a stop to it and we don't intervene, it's going to continue," Martin said.
In many cases, the minors don't know how to control their anger, she said.
"They don't think things through. They don't think about the consequences of their actions," Martin said.
She also says poverty, a lack of parental guidance and a need to feel validated may push teens down the wrong paths.
A key question for a community searching for solutions: "How do we put resources back into communities to keep youth engaged so that they can find their other ways to channel their anger?" Martin said.
"We need to start at home," said Korey Johnson, the president and founder of the Korey Johnson Foundation. One of his popular programs is called Providing Opportunities Otherwise Lost, or POOL.
In addition to teaching boys the basics of playing pool, Johnson mentors the youth, encouraging them to respect themselves and stay out of trouble.
The Florissant dad has two teenagers of his own.
"We have to start these dialogues. Start spending more time instead of money on our kids. Time is L-O-V-E. You have to love them. Show them that you care," Johnson said.
Johnson mentors boys of all ages once a month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Parents who want more information may go to KoreyJFoundation.org.
Resources for crime victims
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
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