On this episode of 'Going Public', we speak with Leslie Washington, a Cape Girardeau resident and gun violence and domestic violence prevention advocate, about the concern over recent high-profile gun violence in the city.
She calls for leaders and community leaders to take action to solve the problem. She previewed her upcoming speech at the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, at 5 p.m.
During our interview, we talked about the recent downtown shooting on Sept. 27, which resulted in the death of a 17-year-old and affected three other people, including two international students.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, the Cape Girardeau Police Department commented on a public Facebook post about their response to the incident, stating, "The Cape Girardeau Police Department will continue working proactively to prevent crime and keep our community safe not only in the downtown area, but throughout the City of Cape Girardeau. Over the next few weeks, more officers will be assigned to the downtown area, and city leaders are working together for a more permanent solution".
The Cape Girardeau Police Department also thanked the community for its support.
"We appreciate the continued partnership and support of our community and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners", said in a statement.
Washington said she no longer feels comfortable walking downtown. She expressed concern about possible gun violence on or near the college campus and called for increased police presence, better preparedness, and more involvement from city officials.
Washington emphasized that gun violence is a community-wide issue rather than an isolated problem.
Leslie continues her gun violence prevention advocacy as a member of Moms Demand Action and through her involvement with Everytown for Gun Safety. In the future, she hopes to establish a Students Demand Action organization on SEMO's campus.
She encouraged interested people to contact her directly by e-mail or through Facebook.
