Bereaved moms urge halt to violence on Cape's south side

The silence hurts Felice Roberson and Pam Robinson.

The mothers are frustrated no one will bear witness to the shooting deaths of their two sons in separate incidents on Cape Girardeau's south side.

Roberson's son, Quinton David Combs, was shot and killed about 2 a.m. Nov. 15 in the 500 block of South Frederick Street. He was 24.

Robinson's son, Zatrun Twiggs and another man, Detavian Richardson, were shot fatally while in a car in the 200 block of South Middle Street on Aug. 3, 2014. Twiggs was 28. Richardson was 20.

They are among five black men who have died violent deaths in the south part of the city over the past year and a half, Roberson said. All of the victims were shot. None of the cases has been solved. Cape Girardeau police have made no arrests.

Roberson and Robinson, who live on the city's south side, are surviving victims left behind by the violence in the largely black neighborhood. They and other residents blame the violence on the culture of illegal drugs.

"I am angry about it," said Roberson, who is leading a neighborhood effort called "Stop Needless Acts of Violence Please" or SNAP. She often wears a red T-shirt with her son's photo on the front and "Stop Needless Acts of Violence Please" lettered on the back.

Seeking justice

Roberson recently walked around the neighborhood, urging residents to get involved. About 50 people, black and white, gathered last week in the Salvation Army chapel at 701 Good Hope St. to call for an end to the violence and urge residents to cooperate with the police to help solve these crimes. The group plans to meet again next month.

Roberson, who earlier this year pleaded with the Cape Girardeau City Council to help stop the violence in her neighborhood, said she is frustrated no witnesses have come forward to police to identify the shooter of her son.

"The police said there were 60 people out there that night," she said.

She insisted someone saw the crime.

"We need the support of each and every one of you," she said to those gathered at the meeting. "If you have heard anything, call the police."

Robinson said, "I want justice for all the killings going on around us."

Twiggs, Robinson's son, and Richardson had previous convictions on drug-related charges.

But Robinson said the death of Twiggs and others are hard for mothers to bear.

"No matter what they did, they were still our sons," she said.

Robinson said her son was shot in front of her mother's home. He was taken to a hospital, where he died early the next day. Robinson said the death haunts her every day.

"No one wants to see their child laying there," she said. "I never thought he would be murdered."

Robinson said someone needs to provide information to the police.

"Something needs to be told and something needs to be done." She urged those at the meeting to "pray for each and every one of us."

Witnesses won't talk

Police Lt. Brad Smith said police have contacted residents who were in the vicinity of the Combs shooting.

"We have documented witnesses who won't cooperate with us," he said.

Smith told those gathered at the Salvation Army "we are here to help you." But he added the police need the cooperation of neighborhood residents.

"We can't operate as a police department without people talking to us," he said.

Speaking of the five men who died, Smith said he knew all the victims. The officer said he would "come in my running clothes" and meet privately with anyone who has information about the shootings.

Smith said residents can help take control of their neighborhood by starting a watch program. He also urged residents to take advantage of Nextdoor, a free and private social network that allows neighbors to communicate online. It also allows police to provide crime alerts and other information to neighborhoods. Police cannot access residents' contact information or websites through the network.

Roberson and Robinson argue the police need to be more aggressive in tackling crime in the black community. Both women said they are angry no arrests have been made and afraid they may one day be victims of violence themselves.

Roberson believes the man who shot her son lives in the community.

"How can you let a murderer walk the streets?" she asked.

Robinson said her son was shot in front of her mother's home on South Middle. Standing there Thursday, two days after the public meeting, Robinson recalled she repeatedly visited the police station to check on the progress of the investigation into her son's death.

She said she became frustrated over the inability of police to solve the crime. She believes it would be different if the crime occurred in another part of the city.

"It is black-on-black crime, so the police don't really care," she said.

But Cape Girardeau police and city officials insist they do care and are doing everything they can to solve the crimes. Police Sgt. Adam Glueck said the "lack of cooperation" among residents frustrates everyone.

A matter of trust

Cape Girardeau city manager Scott Meyer told residents the city "wants to be a part of the solution." Meyer said, "It breaks your heart when people lose their lives."

He added, "We do have officers who care and want to listen. We have to build more trust."

Meyer said police have a phone line where residents can leave anonymous tips.

"If you think something bad is going on, call us. If you wait until something goes on, if you wait for shots to be fired, it is too late," he said.

But Roberson questions why police can't act to keep large groups from gathering on the streets.

"Law-abiding citizens like me don't want a large crowd to congregate," she said last week.

Smith said there is no ordinance barring a large number of people from gathering in public streets. The city does have an ordinance that prohibits yelling and other noise betweeen 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. or "anytime or place that annoys people or disturbs the quiet." However, its constitutionality is being challenged in federal court.

Drugs and guns

Daniel Bird, who pastors Overcomers Church of God at 624 S. Ellis St., said many in the black community are wary of the police and reluctant to speak up. Bird said the neighborhood would benefit from "interaction, not confrontation" between police and residents.

Bird said he understands the drug dealing and violence that has wracked south Cape Girardeau.

Before turning his life around five years ago, Bird said, "I lived the life of the streets. I was part of the ruckus." He said he associated with the "drug-dealing, gun-toting" crowd.

"I witnessed countless acts of violence. I said nothing," he said.

Bird told those gathered at the Salvation Army last week that neighborhood residents often are scared to talk to police or "don't want to be a snitch."

Bird called life on the streets "a sickening disease." He said he turned his life around because someone mentored him. Bird said today's young people need mentoring to help them turn away from drugs and violence.

"These children out here; check up on them," he said.

Bird said he stopped to talk to a 19-year-old man who was "getting ready to go shoot someone" as a result of an argument. Bird said he persuaded the man to abandon his plan of violence.

Bird said he knows a lot of the people who lead troubled lives.

"A lot of these guys, I smoked weed and drank beer with them," he said of his past life.

These people, he said, won't seek help on their own, even in a church setting.

"They are not just going to beat our church doors down," Bird said.

Bird said he seeks to befriend troubled people in their own environment.

Days after the Salvation Army meeting, Roberson and Robinson vowed to continue working to find a solution to the violence.

"It is a start," Roberson said of the SNAP meeting.

Robinson added, "It gives me a lot of hope."

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

701 Good Hope St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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South-side fatal shootings

• Quinton David Combs, 24, shot Nov. 15, 2015, 500 block of South Frederick Street
• Howard Smith, 42, shot Oct. 6, 2015, 900 block of Ranney Avenue
• Detavian Richardson, 20, shot Aug. 3, 2014, 200 block of South Middle Street
• Zatrun Twiggs, 28, shot Aug. 3, 2014, 200 block of South Middle Street
• Anthony Hempstead, 26, shot June 28, 2014, 800 block of Jefferson Avenue

Source: Southeast Missourian archives