In some ways, University of Missouri President Mun Choi had home field advantage on Wednesday when he issued another scathing challenge to Columbia city leaders to make downtown safety a higher and immediate priority.
Choi was speaking at the Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Membership Breakfast, which was held for the first time in the main conference area of the new north end zone project at Memorial Stadium. The $250 million facility officially opened two weeks ago with the Missouri Tigers’ beat down of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the season-opener.
Choi reminded Chamber breakfast attendees that it was September 17 last year when he gave a presentation about crime and homelessness downtown. Ten days later, 21-year-old Stephens College student Aiyanna Williams was killed when a 23-year-old Florida man fired at least 11 shots into a crowd at around 1:30 a.m. in the 800 block of East Broadway.
That homicide occurred about eight hours before the Mizzou homecoming parade, and before the weekend was over, Choi emailed city and civic leaders demanding public safety improvements for downtown. Following a spate of downtown fights – two of which involved shots fired, between June 27 to September 5, and all between Eighth and Ninth streets on E. Walnut St. – he renewed the call for greater focus on downtown safety.
Choi even emailed students to recommend they avoid that area of downtown.
“We are very lucky that no one was shot. Very lucky,” he said. “If this continues someone is going to get hurt.” Choi showed the map during his Chamber breakfast presentation, noting “I’m an engineer. I look at that [map]. That’s empirical data.”
One of the driving factors of Choi adding his voice to local issues is that the University of Missouri is the largest business and employer downtown.
“There are so many great things about Columbia. We love Columbia,” he said. “But there are issues that we have to address. If we don’t address these issues that affect my business – higher education – they will affect your business.”
Choi specifically cited “violent crimes and homeless crimes in downtown” as “major issues.” He showed a slide listed “documented” crimes “perpetrated by homeless individuals.” The crimes included kidnapping, urinating in public, drug use, sexual misconduct, harassment, vehicle theft, assaults, battery, sex in public, defecating in public, drinking in public, escape from custody, burglary, and property damage.
‘I’ve heard you – business leaders. You’ve said we have to do something,” Choi told the Chamber crowd. “I hear from parents when they drop off their kids at school. They say, ‘President Choi, what are you going to do about it?’ I say, ‘I’m going to do as much as I can.’”
For business leaders and downtown leaders asking what they can do, Choi had a simple message: “Speak up.” He explained that a letter supporting an “urban camping” ordinance that would effectively ban sleeping in downtown open space received 70 signatures from downtown businesses. Choi said city leaders told him that “only 70 businesses signed up.” He told Chamber listeners, “They were discounting that. ‘Only 70’ businesses.” He added, “Your silence is being seen as indifference, and I know it’s not.”
Choi said he is also aware that many business voices did not sign the letter from fear of being criticized, threatened, or boycotted.
“I ask you to stand up for what’s right,” he said. “Enough is enough. We need to improve public safety.”
He also did not back down from his call for students to avoid certain areas – and for elected officials to make public safety a higher priority.
“I think we need to call out what needs to be called out,” he said. “We need action and accountability from city leaders.”
Choi thanked city officials for their willingness to serve the public.
“There’s not a city leader that comes into work and says, ‘I don’t care about public safety.’ I know they do. But they have to show action. it is their responsibility. … We can’t keep studying the problem, we need action now.”
In a response on behalf of Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and Columbia City Council members, city spokesman Christopher Ave said in a statement on that the city shares Choi’s concerns.
“We share President Choi’s concerns. That’s why we continue to work collaboratively and legally to ensure that downtown — and the entire Columbia community — is safe for all,” Ave said.
Ave said the city, Columbia Police Department, the University of Missouri, The District, downtown businesses and other community partners continue to work together on issues related to public safety, traffic and pedestrian safety and the overall downtown environment.
