Drive-Bys on the Rise on Kansas City’s West Side
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A series of drive-by shooting on Kansas City’s west side have some neighbors living in fear. Many people living in the neighborhood agree that the number of drive-by shootings has increased in recent months.
Some claim they’ve become so common that they now consider it part of life on the west side. Marina Villalobos has lived on Kansas City’s west side all of her life. Her home has at least half a dozen bullet holes in it from shooting that have happened over the last year.
“It’s just unfortunate that we have houses with bullet holes, when you see that on a daily basis,” Villalobos said. “It reminds you that. Even when you walk out the door sometimes you gotta take a double look, who’s coming down the street before you get into your car.”
Villalobos says the shootings often happen late at night or early in the morning. She says by the time people get to their windows there’s not much to see. As a result, shooting continue and police have little to go on.
“It’s fearful especially for those that it has happened to, first timers, one of our neighbors, her house was hit in one of our drive-bys and it was the first time for her so it was a lot more scary,” she said. “Unlike some other people it has happened to more often. It not becomes natural but routine almost. It’s an unfortunate situation.”
People in the neighborhood say the most recent rash of drive-by shootings started nearly two years ago after a murder in the neighborhood. In fact, a memorial to the victim had to be taken down because they say it was causing too much trouble in the neighborhood.
“People are making a conscious decision not to be forthcoming with information they know,” said Lynda Callon. “Which in my estimation makes them as equally culpable as the people pulling the trigger. I don’t know what the motivator will be to have people do the right thing.”
Some witnesses have reported shots coming from a vehicle with Kansas license plates. Police are working with their counterparts in Kansas city, Kan. to investigate whether these are retaliatory shootings between rival groups.
Police say they’ve been unable to connect the shootings to organized gang activity. They are investigating whether active violent offenders may be operating in the neighborhood.
