Bullets Fired Into Side Of St. Paul Police Station

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Take a look down St. Paul's Payne Avenue and you'll see signs of revival with new businesses bringing hope for a safer, more vibrant neighborhood.

But nothing clears sidewalks quicker than the threat of random crime.

"Violence takes innocent people...bystanders," said Christian DeLeon, who works in the area.

She says the fear is felt citywide as gunfire is being heard throughout St. Paul.

"It's not getting any better," she said. "In fact, it's getting worse."

Police are aware of the problem, especially after this weekend.

Early Sunday morning, officers heard gunshots outside their eastside station. They quickly discovered two bullet pockmarks in the glass along Payne Avenue.

"Didn't see anybody, no suspects, didn't see any victims and nobody was injured," said Sgt. Mike Ernster.

He says that comparing data year to year reveals a frightening trend.

The first five months of 2016 had 299 reports of shots fired in the city. During the same period this year, there've been 495 gun discharge calls recorded. That's a jump of over 65 percent.

"We don't know who the intended target was -- officers, another person or if the building was a target," Ernster said. "We don't know."

What they do know is that the gunfire has to stop. Getting there will take the help of everyone, and well before the shots are heard.

"We need them to call us if they know of someone in a crime…so that we can get ahead of the problem before they become a shooting situation," Ernster said.