St. Joseph Police clarify shooting reports in 2025
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) --While more than 100 shooting incidents have been reported in St. Joseph since the beginning of the year, fewer than half have been linked to violent crime, according to the St. Joseph Police Department.
Since January 2025, SJPD has received 162 reports of shootings. However, Deputy Chief Jason Strong clarified that not all reports result in actual shooting cases.
Of those 162 reports, only 26 were confirmed as shooting cases which warranted police investigation. Breaking it down further:
- 19 involved property damage
- 6 were shootings resulting in injuries, two of which were self-inflicted
- 1 involved an animal that had to be euthanized
“Sometimes people look at the number of reported shootings and assume all are acts of violence,” Strong said. “While any shooting is serious, it’s important to understand that not all are intentional or violent in nature. However, each report is treated as a priority because crime is a priority for our department.”
To better address violent crime in the community, the department recently hired a crime analyst to support its precision policing model and enhance crime prevention strategies.
“We are working collaboratively with our partners in Northwest Missouri—including other law enforcement and criminal justice agencies—through weekly intelligence meetings to tackle violent crime,” Strong said. “We believe we’re on the right path to strategically reducing violence in our community.”
Police urge residents to report all crimes, emphasizing that every report is taken seriously and is thoroughly investigated.
To report a crime online, visit stjosephmo.gov/597/Online-Crime-Reporting. For emergencies or crimes in progress, call 9-1-1.
