KCK police crack down on gang activity amid numerous shootings

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - The Kansas City, Kansas, police chief has a strong message as they investigate recent gang activity.

“We are going to find you, we are going to arrest you, and we are going to put you in jail,” said Chief Karl Oakman.

This comes after a neighborhood off 16th St. and Ridge Ave. Dozens of bullets flew through nearby homes. Three men remain in the hospital. Police believe the shooters belonged to two different groups.

“We have really cracked down on that kind of activity in a lot of neighborhoods, and so by them doing this, they’ve put themselves back on the radar, and we will go after them,” Oakman said.

For the last few years, Oakman said they’ve been working hard to put a stop to this kind of violence.

“We are not going to allow these two groups to think that they can start operating in KCK,” Oakman said.

They’re deploying more resources out on the streets, working with federal partners and the community—something they’ve done in the past that they’ve seen success with.

“The first thing is high visibility, really establishing relationships in the communities so they are reporting information to us,” Oakman said. “Then we also use technology, we have a new Real Time Crime Center. So now we have a lot of technology in place in these neighborhoods where we can monitor activity.”

Oakman also said that prevention starts in the home.

“Know where your kids are,” Oakman said. “We believe some of the involved in this, their parents knew what they were into.”

KCTV5 also reported on an attack in early March where a group of pre-teens and teens attacked a KCK ice cream store manager.

Oakman said in cases like these two, the parents are going to be held just as responsible.

“If we find out, as a parent, that you are aware and that you are allowing this to happen, then we are going to come after you,” Oakman said. “We have to stop it.”

Oakman encourages everyone to stay alert in their community.

“Your neighborhood is safe; we are there to keep it safe,” Oakman said. “If you see groups hanging and causing problems in the neighborhood, call us. Don’t think it’s going to get better because it may just get worse.”

Police say the most common time for a child to a gang is at 15 years old. There are resources to help you talk with kids and identify signs.

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