Kansas City’s Tanisha Hinton is the mother of the murdered child. Her daughter, Shyla Hinton, was shot dead on July 17, just weeks before she turned 28.
Her murder remains unsolved, despite a bounty of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Part of the problem, according to her mother? Northniche culture where killers can be free.
low clearance rate
Kansas City recently recorded its 110th murder in 2022. This was his 10% increase in homicides compared to the same time last year and her second highest death toll in the city’s history.
About 100 people died at this point last year, according to Kansas City police data. The rise in violent deaths is compounded by the fact that the Kansas City Police Department’s below-average arrest rate means that bereaved families have not been brought to justice or required closures. .
As of Aug. 26, only 39 of the 111 killings committed this year had suspects identified or apprehended, according to police data. Her clearance rate of just under 36%, well below her 2020 national average of nearly 50%, is unacceptable for a grieving parent like Tanisha Hinton.
According to the Marshall Project, police across the country have solved about 1 in 2 murders due to a spike in homicides in 2019-2020.
That rate has declined from nearly 70% a few years ago. Kansas City’s below-average arrest rate is due to police homicide investigators doing their best to keep up with the growing number of cases.
Families often have to pick up the pieces and ponder why the death of a loved one remains an unsolved investigation.
Witnesses don’t speak up
Despite Shayla Hinton’s highly publicized shooting, possible witnesses, and substantial compensation, no one has been arrested in connection with the death. He was one of three people shot near the park.
None of these cases have been resolved, according to Kansas City police officials. About a month later, the 14-year-old Kevaun Hughes died in the parking lot of his Kansas City convenience store.
He was one of two people shot outside a top spot near 27th Street and Brooklyn Street just before 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 15. A second victim was taken to hospital, but he survived. Kevaun’s funeral was held on his August 23rd.
His family remembered him as a teenager with a goofy, playful and loving spirit. His teenage death became his 105th murder in Kansas City. Although there is a reward, the case remains unsolved.
not enough reward money
Why is $25,000 not enough to solve violent crimes? Crime prevention advocates say that even with information about violent crimes, Kansas City has a safe and reliable program to keep witnesses safe. has stated that it does not provide
This is a problem because those most frequently affected by violent crime have the lowest trust in the criminal justice system, and many do not trust the police.
Damon Daniel, president of the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, a Kansas City anti-violent organization, said, “People are so frustrated and angry with them that they won’t cooperate even when it’s in their interests.
It poses a nasty dilemma. If those most affected by violent crime don’t trust the police enough to solve their crimes, how will their neighborhoods be safe?
No one wants brazen public shootings to become the norm. To prevent that, witnesses who have information about violent crimes will eventually have to come forward and report what they know. We have to do more to earn trust.
It also means disseminating information about how witnesses can safely report what they see.
In a city with over 70 unsolved murders this year alone, that number needs to go up. Higher rewards may be part of the answer, but better protection and greater trust are essential.
Only then can a mentally ill mother like Tanishia Hinton find the closure she needs to get justice and move forward in life.
Copyright Kansas City Star. Reprinted with permission.
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