ST PAUL, Minn. — It is a new year but the same problem is happening in St. Paul.
About 200 people packed a room at Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church in St. Paul to question law enforcement and elected officials about the spike in shootings.
The city ended 2019 with a total of 30 homicides, which is the highest in 30 years.
In just the first few weeks into 2020 there already have been three deaths.
St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell said he wants to use ShotSpotter technology to help police pinpoint where gunshots happen but Mayor Melvin Carter says he thinks community programs and outreach are a better, and more effective use of money.
“Our new budget will fund school programs, youth jobs, relationship based approaches that implement a public health type of model, hospital-based violence prevention - some of those types of things. It’s a pretty comprehensive plan," said St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter.
"We want to discourage people from taking a life," said Rev. James Thomas.
