KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Missouri's homicide rate is the second highest it's been in the past five years.
KCPD is investigating its 65th homicide, and the high numbers are alarming those trying to prevent crime from happening in the community.
Anti-violence advocates are trying to figure out how to reverse the trend.
"It's disheartening that we've lost that many people this year to violence in our community," Damon Daniel, President of the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime said.
So far this year, there's been 65 homicides. At this point last year, there were 58, but in 2017, that number was higher, at 70.
"It really is just coming down to understanding what we're doing wrong," Kamisha Stanton, KCMO's Violence Program Coordinator said.
Stanton said there's plenty of programs and activities like the Mayor's Night Out and Hoops Nights that aim to help, but attendance is slim.
"People are not going and it's interesting because the first thing people say is there is nothing for the kids to do," Stanton said.
Just last week, Stanton, along with other stakeholders, held a meeting with the youth ambassadors and they had a few recommendations to deter crime.
"That we should come to the schools and we should talk with their teachers and perhaps offer these events as extra credit, just meet them where they exactly are," Stanton added.
Over the rest of the year, Stanton hopes the city's messaging of these events get out to the youth and, in turn, reduces the city's crime rate.
Last week, KCPD announced they are increasing the reward for homicide tips to $25,000 in hopes of getting more information to solve these homicides.
All tips remain anonymous and go through the Crimestoppers system. That number is 816-474-8477.
