Kansas City saw 157 homicides in 2021. This group gathered Friday to honor the victims
Community leaders and family members of victims gathered at a youth outreach center Friday to honor the 157 people killed by homicide in Kansas City in 2021.
Standing outside ArtsTech, a youth outreach center that aims to reduce violence through youth programming, community members read the names of every Kansas City homicide victim.
Among the community members were ArtsTech Executive Director Juan Tabb, anti-violence activist Ron Hunt, Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department Captain Steven Smith and Laurie Bey, the mother of Cameron Lamb, who was shot and killed by Kansas City police in 2019.
“We’re a broken city,” Hunt said.
Among the names read was Hunt’s sister, Stephanie Hunt, who was stabbed to death by their brother during a dispute in February.
“She was a very bright young lady, she had some problems in the past with substance abuse but she turned her life around,” Hunt said. “It bothers me to this day. We still haven’t gotten over it.”
Hunt was the 15th person killed in Kansas City in 2021 according to data kept by The Star, which includes police shootings. The year marked the second deadliest year in city history with 157 homicides. Across the metro area, 244 people were killed. The year 2020 was Kansas City’s deadliest year on record with 182 homicides.
Hunt and Tabb called for a collaborative approach between the community, city hall and police to address violence in Kansas City. Both urged community members who knew something about crimes to call the city’s TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
“No one group can combat violence alone,” Tabb said. “Every victim needs to be recognized. Every family needs to be in the spotlight.”
