Residents demand more police patrol after 11-year-old boy killed in unprovoked stabbing

HOUSTON – Hundreds of caring neighbors packed into the Leonel Castillo Community Center on South Street Thursday night to show support for 11-year-old Josue Flores.

Flores’ murder has sent shock waves throughout the community and now, residents are demanding change.

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The innocent little boy was simply walking home when someone attacked him with a knife and stabbed him several times.

Police have arrested and charged Che Calhoun, 31, in connection to the murder.

“This shows me how much the community cares,” said Juan Flores, Josue’s older brother.

The oldest Flores son came to the meeting on behalf of his family.  He told Channel 2, his parents are having a hard time dealing with this tragedy, but the outpouring of support from the community is helping them heal.

“My mom, she’s doing her best to hold it together,” he said.

People who live on Houston’s northside want to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.  They spoke up at the meeting and said the homeless population and drug users are causing the problems and the neighborhood is decaying as a result.

They told the crowd and community leaders who were in attendance that they want to see more police patrol the area.

Acting Houston Police Chief Martha Montalvo told residents she is working on a plan and is relying on help from other agencies as well, like the Constables Office and METRO Police.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee also spoke up and reassured the community they are a priority.

“We’re going to work very closely to do everything we can to make sure this community is safe,” Mayor Turner said.  “Do what we can to beef up patrols in this area, they don’t want this area to be a “dumping ground” and I think that’s understandable.”

[VIDEO: Man accused in boy's stabbing death fighting with police day before attack]

“This requires all layers of government,” Rep. Jackson Lee said.  “I deal with homeless persons and we know that people are homeless in this community.  We don’t want them to be homeless, we also want young people to live safely in this community.”

Houston's Mayor addresses the community at a crime prevention town hall meeting after the murder of an 11 yr old.

Posted by Jennifer Bauer on Thursday, May 19, 2016