September 30, 2008 Knife attacks on the rise in Worcester, MA Play video

(Katie Daly, NECN: Worcester, MA) - William Smith, a 19-year-old Becker College student was stabbed to death at an off campus party. It highlights a growing problem in Worcester.

“We are going aggressive on our investigations dealing with stabbings.”

While crime in the city is down, the number of attacks with knives is on the rise.

What we're seeing is that because we have been so focused on gun violence over the last several years the number of guns is down, but we are seeing a spike in stabbings.”

The number of knife attacks that police have responded to compared to incidents involving guns over the past year backs that up.

In one year the number of incidents involving guns, dropped 30 percent. While the number of assaults involving knives increased almost 30 percent. Police say knives are easier to obtain and conceal.

Police say they're working to get knives off the streets by targeting certain areas of the city.

We are continuing to focus on our violent crimes on our most violent offenders in our most violent places

People around Worcester say they're taking precautions, but have mixed feelings about the increase in knife attacks.