Four homicides in the last nine months has some questioning the safety of Overland Park, Kan.
Police draped crime scene tape around an Overland Park apartment building in the 6100 block of Foster Street after police found 35-year-old Jennifer Lopez dead inside of her apartment.
Osiris, who wouldn't give his last name, said his girlfriend lives above the Lopez's apartment. He said he is used to hearing noises from the downstairs apartment but he doesn't recall anything out of the ordinary on Monday evening.
"I didn't hear any gunshots. All I heard was loud noises at one point in time but I didn't think anything of it because she's a noisy neighbor, but it's really unfortunate that that happened," said Osiris.
This is the fourth homicide in Overland Park in the past nine months. In June of 2015, two people were killed in the 7800 block of West 61st Street. In July 2015, a gunman shot two people near 61st and Robinson; one victim died of her injuries. And on Monday, police found Lopez dead in her apartment near 61st and Foster.
"They did take a subject into custody; they questioned that subjected and subsequently arrested that person for the death of Ms. Lopez," said OPPD Officer Richard Breshears.
Overland Park is known as one of the safest cities in the nation. Right now, police are moving resources from its headquarters on 112th Street back to their police station near 85th and Antioch. The station recently underwent renovations and the police chief believes the move will improve response times and community policing.
In 2014 Overland Park had a total of six homicides; in 2015 they responded to five homicides. And even with the city's number in the single digits, the entire police department is focused on reducing violent crimes in Overland Park.
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Lisa Benson can be reached at lisa.benson@kshb.com.
