Business owners blast ‘weakened leadership' as blue city ranks among most dangerous in US
Business owners in Kansas City, Missouri, are fed up with the city's response to a string of crimes downtown, with one person saying they've had to "take matters into our own hands."
Kansas City was named the eighth-most dangerous city in the country in 2024 based on murder and property crime rates per 100,000 people, according to U.S. News and World Report. The city ranks twentieth on the outlet's list for 2025.
So far in 2025, there have been 61 homicides, versus 52 at this point in 2024, the Kansas City Police Department said. Between 2019 and 2023, property crimes in Kansas City spiked by 31%, according to KCUR. Homicides in Kansas City are lower than they were in 2023, when the city saw its deadliest year with 182.
Andrew Cameron, founder of Donutology, told Fox News Digital in an interview that it feels like crime in Kansas City is "at an all-time high as far as we're concerned."
"We do see some weakened leadership within the city, whether it be bureaucracy saying their hands are tied because the state controls the police or the prosecution declining to press charges just because there are so many instances and the police are understaffed," he said.
Cameron said there have been two incidents over the past year when Donutology locations were either vandalized or robbed.
"We've experienced multiple break-ins of our store. Sometimes they will take items inside the store. In our Trolley locations, they took our safe with cash in it. Just a few months later, we were broken into at our Westport location, where they just decided to kick the door in and not take anything," Cameron said.
In video provided to Fox News Digital, two men are seen breaking into a Donutology store and leaving with a safe.
In another incident at a separate Donutology location in Kansas City, a man is seen repeatedly throwing objects at the windows. Cameron told Fox News Digital he filed a police report on both incidents but didn't hear anything back.
He said the city has offered money to help repair damage, but they don't cover anything taken from the store.
"The city has also offered money to fix any vandalism, but their program doesn't cover the actual contents that were taken from the business. They're hoping insurance will cover it, but a lot of us small businesses have high deductibles, and it's almost – we're still out a lot of money. And when we're selling doughnuts at a couple dollars each, when you lose thousands of dollars, that's a lot of doughnuts to make up and a lot of customers. It really hurt us and set us back," Cameron said.
Personal injury attorney Suzanne Hale-Robinson told Fox News Digital she has seen an exponential increase in vehicle break-ins in the past six to nine months. On one occasion, Hale-Robinson said someone squatted in an office located in her building.
"One time, the floor above us had left their door unlocked over a weekend and somebody just had a nice, like, staycation in their office and then left with a couple laptops. So that's been like the break-ins in our building. Aside from that, we have a parking lot to the rear of our building and, yeah, luckily, my car, knock on wood, has not been broken into. I try not to leave anything in there, but you know probably 10 to 15 vehicles have been broken into," Hale-Robinson said.
She said it's frustrating when police don't show up after a break-in, adding that her law firm has had to hire private security.
"Initially, over the winter, we paid personally for private security to come because we couldn't get a response from the city. One thing that has been frustrating is the lack of them sending anybody out when there's an issue. So when we have a break-in, there's no police presence at all. We're being asked to go down to the station to make a report. And so that creates, I think, an inherent non-deterrent for criminals because there's no fear of immediate police reaction," Hale-Robinson said.
Hale-Robinson said that while she recognizes there should be a better law enforcement response, the city needs to do more to address homelessness.
"I do think there's blame that should be placed ... on the Kansas City government and how we're handling it and not just a focus on these individuals who, a lot of times, are houseless people that are [committing] crimes of desperation that is then fueled by the city's inability to help," she said.
In an effort to fight property crime, Democrat Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas put forward a $1 million proposal in January to increase off-duty law enforcement presence in areas of the city with higher crime, according to KMBC.
Fox News Digital reached out to Lucas for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
19 minutes ago
- Associated Press
New Mexico appeals court rejects lawsuit against oil and gas regulators
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico appeals court rejected a lawsuit alleging that the nation's No. 2 oil-producing state failed to meet constitutional provisions for protecting against oil and gas industry pollution, in an opinion Tuesday. Environmental advocates vowed to appeal the matter to the state's top court. A panel of three judges on the New Mexico Court of Appeals found that it was beyond the judiciary's authority to weigh whether the pollution controls are adequate, writing that they'll defer to the Legislature to balance the benefits of environmental regulation with natural resources development. The 2023 lawsuit from a coalition of environmental groups was the first to invoke the constitution's pollution-control clause, a 1971 amendment requiring that New Mexico prevent the contamination of air, water and other natural resources. 'While plaintiffs correctly observe that, as the 'Land of Enchantment,' the state's beauty is central to our identity, we cannot ignore the long history of permitting oil and gas extraction within our borders,' the panel wrote, invoking the state motto. 'If anything, the law, history, and tradition of our state demonstrates that resource extraction must be considered alongside, and must coexist with, pollution control legislation.' Gail Evans, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity and lead counsel on the case, said Tuesday's opinion would dismiss the case entirely if unchallenged and 'displays a fundamental misunderstanding of our constitution and constitutional rights.' She said plaintiffs intent to appeal to the state Supreme Court. 'Fifty years ago, New Mexico voted to amend the constitution and to provide protections from industry pollution and the court has found today that the amendment — the pollution control clause — is essentially meaningless, and that has to be wrong,' Evans said. The court challenge comes as New Mexico's state government rides a wave of record income from development in the Permian Basin, one of the world's most productive, oil-producing regions. Oil-related revenue collections underwrite a considerable amount of the state's budget, including public education. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration is policing the industry with regulations that target methane and other emissions. But the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups say these efforts are not enough and that the state is failing to enforce existing pollution-control measures. Attorneys for the Democratic-led Legislature and environmental regulators said the lawsuit threatened their constitutional authority. Appeals Judge Katherine Wray issued an additional concurring opinion, expressing further limitations of the pollution control clause.
CBS News
19 minutes ago
- CBS News
Worcester street renamed to honor teen who died after "One Chip Challenge"
A street in Worcester has been renamed in honor of a 14-year-old boy who died in 2023 after eating a spicy chip as part of a social media challenge. The "One Chip Challenge" In 2023, Paqui's "One Chip Challenge" hit social media, encouraging fans to try their super spicy chip. The single wrapped chip came in a box labeled "Carolina Reaper" and "Naga Viper Pepper." Harris Wolobah was a sophomore at Doherty High School when a friend gave him the chip in September 2023. Harris fainted after eating the chip, and the school nurse called his parents. His parents said Harris fainted again that night, and they rushed him to the hospital, where he died. Paqui pulled the chips from the shelves after Harris's death. An autopsy revealed Harris died of cardiopulmonary arrest "in the setting of recent ingestion of a food substance with high capsaicin concentration." The medical examiner also found Harris had an enlarged heart and a congenital heart defect. In 2024, Harris's family sued Paqui, also naming Hershey and Walgreens in the lawsuit. Honoring "a young man's spirit" "Today is not just about a name; it is about a young man's spirit. It is about the light he brought to those around him. To the children of Worcester who walk these streets, let Harris's name be a reminder that you matter, your life matters," said Harris's mother, Lois Wolobah. Shore Drive will also be known as Harris Thompson Wolobah Way. The sign was unveiled at the corner of Shore Drive and South Frontage Road, in front of the YMCA, where Harris spent a lot of his time playing basketball.
Android Authority
19 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Great tablet deals from Apple and Amazon!
Are you thinking of getting a tablet that is good but won't break the bank? My two favorite picks in the budget tier category are the Apple iPad A16 and the Amazon Fire Max 11. Both are on sale today, making them even more affordable! Get the Apple iPad A16 for $299 ($50 off) Get the Amazon Fire Max 11 for $174.99 ($55 off) These offers both come from Amazon. The Apple iPad A16 is available in four colors: Blue, Pink, Silver, and Yellow. All color versions are discounted equally. Apple iPad A16 If you want something more capable and much more mainstream, the Apple iPad A16 strikes the perfect balance. It's more than good enough for most users, but the price stays very reasonable. I can confidently say it offers the best value in the world of tablets. While this is technically Apple's 'lower-end tablet,' you wouldn't assume this if you didn't know its price. It looks, feels, and performs pretty much like a higher-end pad, offering an outstanding experience. I would recommend this one at full price, so the $50 discount is a really tasty cherry on top. As the name implies, this iPad has an upgraded Apple A16 chipset. It also features 4GB of RAM. While that may not sound too exciting, I can tell you it will be more than good enough for most apps and games. I use the 10th-generation iPad and have yet to see it slow down, so this one should do even better! The only downside here is that this iPad won't get Apple Intelligence. That requires an Apple A17 Pro chipset. The design is nearly identical to that of the previous generation iPad. It even has the same 9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28in dimensions, as well as an identical 1.05lbs weight! Honestly, you'll have a hard time telling them apart side to side. Another nice benefit is that the Apple iPad A16 gets twice the base storage at 128GB, as opposed to 64GB on the previous version. That means you'll be able to store twice as many apps, files, photos, and more. This is great news because we know many of you believe 64GB is too little for today's standards. The display is nearly the same, but there is technically an ever-so-slight upgrade here. This iPad display measures in at 11 inches, instead of the 10.9-inch screen in the Apple iPad 10th Generation. That said, the 0.1-inch difference is really negligible. Regardless, the definition is 2,360 x 1,640, so it's pretty sharp. If you're into hand-written notes or drawing, the Apple iPad A16 also supports both the Apple Pencil USB-C and the Apple Pencil First Generation. Battery life is pretty nice, too, at about 10 hours per charge. Amazon Fire Max 11 Amazon Fire Max 11 Amazon Fire Max 11 Competing with the big dogs in the tablet market Amazon has been in the tablet game for years, but the Fire Max 11 might be their first tablet to truly compete in the 11-inch tablet segment. A high-resolution display is backed by big battery life and enough storage for all of your apps and games. See price at Amazon Save $55.00 Limited Time Deal! The Apple iPad A16 is excellent, but it isn't for everyone. Maybe you want to spend even less, if the tablet is for a kid, or a very casual user. If I were to recommend a cheaper tablet, I would say go for the Amazon Fire Max 11. It's the best tablet Amazon has to offer, and you can currently get it for just $174.99. The Amazon Fire Max 11 is great if you want something to watch movies, do some general browsing, or even play some games! IT has a large 11-inch screen, and the resolution is actually quite nice at 2,000 x 1,200. The stereo speakers are also pretty decent. Amazon That said, most of the tablet is more modest. It has a MediaTek MT8188J octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM. Nothing impressive, but it can handle casual tasks just fine. Despite its much lower price, it still has some cool features, like a fingerprint reader and a 14-hour battery life. If you want to improve the experience, you can even get an optional keyboard case and a stylus. This turns it into a bit of a powerhouse for anyone who wants to work on documents, browse the web, draft emails, take notes, or even draw. Are you getting one of these? Make sure to act quickly! We don't know how long these offers will stick around. And if you need some alternatives, here is our list of the best Android tablets.
