CARJACKING IN THE CWE
Saturday night (January 23) there was a reported robbery/carjacking incident at 4108 West Pine. At approximately 9:05 pm the male victim stated he arrived home when a young man knocked on his car window. He opened the car door, and the suspect displayed a gun and demanded the car. The victim complied and the suspect drove west in the victim’s car toward Boyle.
I have reviewed video however there is still more to do. The victim was not injured in the incident.
Jim Whyte, Executive Director
Central West End Neighborhood Security Initiative
office (314)454-5808, [email protected]
SHOOTING IN THE CWE
Per Rob Betts for The City’s Finest, LLC on 1/25:
This is NOT a random incident, nor domestic. There were shots exchanged between two or more subjects in two vehicles and a child was shot. Two fatalities. The incident occurred near 4034 Laclede. Again, this was not a random incident.
Per Jim Whyte, CWE NSI on 1/25:
The NSI is putting $5,000 toward a reward through Crimestoppers in this case. There will be more money put up in this case as well.
Letter from Harold Karabell on 1/25:
Dear neighbors,
We are horrified to hear of the shooting in our neighborhood. I would like to emphasize that this was a targeted shooting.
As such, it’s yet another tragic reminder of the extent to which gun violence plagues our beloved city.
In today’s Wall Street Journal, in fact, there’s an op-ed piece entitled “Taking Stock of a Most Violent Year.”
In a sad coincidence, the article specifically mentions the 17 children murdered last year in St. Louis.
But the piece neglects to point out that in 2020 St. Louis also recorded the highest murder rate in our history.
As I recall, 2020’s murder rate was the highest in the nation as well (and while many of St. Louis’ poor statistical showings are flukes of demography and geography, 262 murders—the overwhelming majority involving guns– in a municipality of any size are inexcusable, disgraceful, and depressing).
The double murders on Laclede are especially shocking, because we’ve grown accustomed to associating such homicidal gun violence with “other neighborhoods.”
Nonetheless, more troubling from the perspective of neighborhood security alone is what seems to be the presence of yet another carjacking gang operating specifically in and around West Pine-Laclede.
Within the last week or so alone, three cars have been taken, two at gunpoint.
One vehicle was stolen from West Pine near Boyle and another from West Pine near Sarah.
And the most recent incident of which I’m aware took place in the parking lot of the CVS on Lindell last Friday at c. 11:30 p.m.
I trust that both Jim Whyte of the CWE Neighborhood Security Initiative and Neighborhood Improvement Specialist Ron Coleman, will keep us informed of any and all details about both the double homicide and the multiple carjackings as they become available.
In the meantime, keep in mind that “Eternal vigilance is the price of a safe neighborhood” and please exercise the greatest caution when going to and from your vehicles.
And please feel free to contact me anytime by either e-mail or phone with any questions or suggestions.
Many thanks,
Harold Karabell, President
West Pine Laclede Neighborhood Assn.
314-574-1231