Isom: To prevent weekend mayhem, "block off access to downtown"
ST. LOUIS (KMOX) -- This Easter weekend kept police busy, from a murder on a MetroLink train at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station to car break-ins and large crowds causing chaos in Downtown.
Public Safety Director Dan Isom says police have a suspect in mind in connection with the MetroLink killing.
"It appears as if these two individuals engaged in a conversation that could've resulted in a dispute, as a result of that, this incident happened," Isom said in his weekly briefing.
Isom says it's not clear if the two people knew each other. KMOX News wanted to know how many St. Louis police officers are assigned to MetroLink. We are waiting for that information.
He said it's important for all area law enforcement to work together to "hopefully try to prevent these types of things as much as possible. Of course, it didn't occur in this case, but all entities are working hard to provide that visibility and assurance."
Additionally, large crowds broke bottles, danced on cars, and caused mayhem on Locust between 9th and 10 Streets. 11 cars were broken into.
Citizens for a Greater Downtown St. Louis released a video of the activity.
In it, you can hear what appears to be rapid gunfire. You might remember, last May video was captured of people dancing on a St. Louis police car, sparking outrage and action by the city to increase patrols along Washington Avenue.
Officers, in this case, pushed the cruisers out of downtown, to the north, and eventually into St. Louis County. Isom said there's one one sure way to avert this type of behavior: "to block off access to downtown."
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