Shots fired up 46 percent in St. Paul

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - An overnight shooting outside a strip club marks St. Paul's 17th murder of 2017.

A man was shot and killed outside the Lamplighter Lounge early Friday morning. The gun fire that would take his life is part of a problem St. Paul police are working to fix.

In the last year, the number of shots fired are on the rise with more than 120 people wounded and 1,000 shots reported.

"We've increased the number of officers in our gang and gun unit, we've partnered with our federal partners like the ATF and we have really made an effort to reach out the community to say help us," said Steve Linders, a spokesman for the St. Paul Police Department.

St. Paul police say their efforts are starting to pay off, but compared to the same time last year, the number of shots fired is up 46 percent.

"If you look back five, 10, 15 years ago there are just more guns on the streets,” said Linders. “So our officers are being put in dangerous situations, the people who live and work in St. Paul are being put in dangerous situations and it's unacceptable."

Police recovered more than 400 illegal guns in just the last year.

"So we are working really hard and hopefully we can put an end to it, but we need the public’s help," said Linders.