Columbia no longer putting together task force for downtown crime, will continue meetings with groups tackling issue
ABC 17 News Team
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe told ABC 17 News that she is no longer putting together a task force that addresses downtown crime.
She announced the task force after it was requested by University of Missouri System President Mun Choi after a Stephens College student, Aiyanna Williams, was shot and killed in downtown Columbia on Sept. 27, which was the weekend of MU’s homecoming.
Buffaloe described during an interview on Tuesday afternoon that it would be best to continue to work with existing groups who are trying to stop crime.
“After talking to law enforcement and the property owners and different people working in this space, we decided just to actually just keep doing the meetings we’re already doing. These groups were getting together, were getting together with the university officials, but one voice that I noticed is missing and, and I got to meet today with some students from the University of Missouri,” Buffaloe said.
The whole interview with Buffaloe can be viewed above. She also recently returned from the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s leadership retreat to Columbia, South Carolina, and described why she traveled and what she learned.